Two That Are One
by Lady Taiyou
Summary: Rey knows that Ben gave his life for her. She knows she should move on, but she can't. Maybe, with an old friend's help she can still save the love of her life... REYLO story that continues after Ben's death. Rey/Ben Solo. Rated M for Lemons.
1. Chapter 1

Hello! Welcome to my fanfic! A couple notes before you read. I am not super well versed in a ton of the in depth Star Wars lore, so I have researched a little bit to try to fill in the holes here.

This is a bit of an Alternate ending for those of you who are REYLO fans! I may continue it to do a short, fluff heavy story with possibility of a lemon if there is interest! Constructive reviews are appreciated, if you hate it…. Well then this isn't the droid story your looking for!

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Numb.

That was the only way Rey could describe her state of being. The only other thing she felt was a strange sort of static where Ben should have been. She knew that Fin and Poe had been watching her for weeks following the events on Exogol, both with deep concern. She had returned to Ajan Kloss after laying Luke and Leia's lightsaber's to rest on Tatooine and seemed to continue life as normal, but she was quiet and often seemed distracted when her friends called out to her. She meditated often and had all but isolated herself. Even earlier today, Fin had invited her to join them on a routine supply run aboard the Millennium Falcon and the idea of the fantastic ship had barely stirred her from her thoughts. Despite her preoccupied mind, she felt bad. She didn't want to turn down her friends or make them worry, but she simply wanted more time and peace to sort through the vast amount of emotion she was feeling. Despite her best efforts, her mind continually returned to those final moments.

She had awoken confused and shocked in Ben's arms. Taking in his features, she recalled when she first saw him. Even through her fear and his harsh attacks on her mind with the force, she felt inexplicably drawn to him. His face had seemed hard and unyielding, cold. The face of Kylo Ren. As he held her there in the Emperor's throne room however, his features had softened. Ben Solo's face was more kind, more open.

"Ben." She whispered, smiling. The relief she felt through the bond caused his mouth to curve slightly in a smile. She had touched his face tentatively, hesitating only for a moment before she kissed him deeply. He had embraced her and returned the kiss with equal passion and no matter how she tried, she couldn't erase the feel of his lips against hers. The bond flared with the love that surged through it. Rey had been overwhelmed with joy, making Ben grin at her widely. Then… he was gone. The emotions they had shared for what felt like a lifetime were snuffed as the last bit of life left his body. Rey panicked, fearing he might disappear, yet his body remained.

Rey opened her eyes, coming back to the present. Slowly, she allowed herself to shake off her meditation and rose stiffly from the ground. She had not levitated as she had during Leia's training, her mind too tumultuous. The Resistance base had become more of a village now and routinely went quiet after darkness fell. The Force told Rey that everyone was either close to, or completely asleep. Walking back through the night shrouded jungle, she kept thinking about certain abilities of the Force that Leia had told her about.

The idea had been going through her mind constantly since they had come back and as she moved along the wooden and metal walkways back to her little hut, she slowed her pace until she came to a hesitant halt. Rey had no idea how these abilities worked, or if they would completely ruin the balance of the force. Turning slowly and looking back towards a medical tower cobbled together by the Resistance, she thought about what her actions could possibly bring. It was too dangerous, too uncertain!

"Don't do this Rey." She whispered to herself and took three more steps away from the structure before pausing once again. Hazel eyes swept the dark jungle, finding the Falcon still gone from its usual place of rest.

"_This is a dangerous and complicated idea, Rey._" She whirled and saw Leia's ghost watching her, hands clasped before her and watching the young woman sternly.

"Leia!" She suddenly felt embarrassed at having been caught off guard so easily by her teacher and quickly composed herself. "I shouldn't want the things I do. But I feel so… alone. You and Ben were the only ones who knew who I was and didn't turn away in fear of what I might become." Rey confessed quietly. The girl clenched her fist and bit her bottom lip, feeling as if she had been too open about her feelings, but Leia had always had a way of making her speak without ever asking. The ghostly woman walked towards her.

"_To feel this way and not face it is more dangerous than having the courage to acknowledge it. Rey._" The girl returned her eyes to Leia's. "_I want you to make me a promise," _she raised a brow and pinned her apprentice with a stern gaze, "_You must promise me that if you feel as if your own life will slip away, you will abandon your plan. That is the only way that I will teach you to use the force to restore a lost life._" Shock froze Rey in place. Was Leia truly agreeing to this? After a moment she nodded numbly.

"I promise." Then for the first time in weeks, Rey allowed herself a small smile. "Leia…"

"_I know._" The woman said, returning the smile. Rey nodded, then strode off towards the medical tower.

"_If this fails, it could destroy her._" Luke appeared beside his twin after Rey had gone. She simply nodded.

"_I gave my life to bring Ben back to the light. If I can give them even one more chance to be happy, then I'll do it._" Luke shook his head, but knew better than to argue with his sister once her mind was made up.

* * *

Rey had made her way to the last room of the medical tower and then paused at the door. Soft clanks of metal and the gentle rock of jungle trees echoed through the halls and thin walls as she hesitated. Poe and Fin had seen this was done for her, but the man she loved deserved better. Guilt at what she asked them to do still clawed at her mind and she hadn't been able to bring herself to come see him. But she had to see if there was still a spark of Ben left in this plane.

Inhaling a shaky breath, she pushed the door open. The room was pitch black and almost oppressively silent except for the narrow lines of light that flooded through the door. They fell over a waist height structure in the center of the room, revealing only small sections of what lay in the darkness. Reaching out with the Force to illuminate the room, an aged light flickered and slowly became brighter. Rey's breaths came quickly as she fought to control the adrenaline that rose inside her and walked forward. As if sculpted by the finest artists, there rested Ben on a rough stone slab, his body preserved in carbonite. His face seemed calm, his hands resting gently by his sides as if he was only asleep. Then the adrenaline was replaced with grief and tears flowed unchecked down her cheeks.

"I'm sorry Ben." She whispered and touched his cheek with a shaking hand. "I should have been stronger and just let you go." The familiar static seemed deafening now, only reminding her of his absence. She had tried to study about Dyads in the Force, and her and Ben's bond. She had learned that they couldn't really be severed unless one individual or the other created a wound in the force, such as turning to the dark side. Clearly, Ben returning to the light side hadn't broken the bond, and death could not sever it, so why couldn't she sense him now? She needed to find out, but until then she had to be strong and study hard with Leia if she wanted the chance to bring him back to her.

* * *

Rey wondered if she had wildly underestimated the Force Revival ability. Leia had trained her for months and even now she was unsure if she could perform the ability correctly. The medic team had unfrozen Ben's body and luckily determined that no harm had come to it during the freezing process.

"We do need to warn you though Miss Skywalker. If we try to refreeze the remains now, it might not work." Rey hated that he had just called Ben by that term, but she took a steadying breath and let it slide. She had to keep her composure.

"I really wish you would reconsider this." Fin said, his voice breaking her thoughts from where he stood at Ben's feet. Rey looked at him, her brows furrowing slightly before softening once again. She touched his shoulder.

"I'm sorry Fin, you just don't know him like I know him. But Kylo Ren is dead for good. Ben is different."

"Is he?" The Ex trooper questioned her, his irritation rising. She could feel his own growing energy with the force swirling with unease and distrust.

"If I had given in to the doubt I had about Ben turning back to the light, you would all be dead. I needed him on Exogol." She told him gently. Fin could see her point, but he was still uncertain.

"You never did tell us why." Rey sighed and looked back down at Ben's still, pale face.

"Just trust me." She said, resolved. Fin shook his head and walked from the room. He wouldn't stand by and watch his best friend resurrect a monster. The medical staff also stepped from the small room, giving Rey a chance to work. It was now or never.

She breathed deeply, centering herself and closing her eyes. Placing her hand over Ben's. Words echoed through her mind.

"_I offered you my hand once. Why didn't you take it?"_ He'd asked. She inhaled and exhaled, focusing on the Force and searching for his lost spirit, the way Leia had instructed her. Her mind flew across planets and galaxies, seeing colors and hearing sounds she had never experienced before. It could have been only seconds, or several years before Rey felt a flicker of Ben. The Force brought her to a grey space that was nothing and everything all at once. The energy that resided there was all too familiar.

"_Ben… Be with me."_ She called. A twinge in her physical body nearly threw her concentration but she pushed it aside.

"_Rey, come back! It's too much!_" She heard Leia, but Ben was so close now, within reach!

"_Please, be with me._" She called again, centering her thoughts. The energy materialized before her, Ben's face looking out at her in disbelief. She imagined holding her hand out to his as she had done in the hut on Ahch-to. His energy reached for hers and she gripped his hand, suddenly being ripped back to the medical room.

Her eyes snapped open and she was clutching Ben's hand. She panted for breath and leaned on the stone supporting him before looking to his face. Several heartbeats passed, but he did not stir. Nothing. She had tried and failed. Tears welling up, Rey fought the sobs that threatened to tear her apart and squeezed her eyes shut. Her body ached, but her heart ached more and she couldn't think.

"I'm all alone without you." She confessed softly and allowed herself to cry.

"You're not alone." A deep voice told her, raspy from disuse. Rey's body froze for a split second before looking back to Ben's face. His dark eyes opened slightly as he looked at her, his fingers weakly wrapping around hers. Words escaped her and she simply looked down at him in shock. Very slowly, he managed to smile at her.

* * *

Please forgive the clumsy formatting, I haven't posted a story in a while and need to relearn how to make the format work. I hope you enjoyed it! If so, please follow so I know to post the rest of my drabbles about Rey and Ben =)

Lady Taiyou


	2. Chapter 2

Hey folks, so in my wish to remain as true to Rey and Ben's characters as possible, I ended up blowing through the second book in the sequel trilogy to get a better sense of things, since there are way more juicy details! So some of the inspiration comes from the novelizations. I also apologize for spelling Finn's name wrong in the first chapter. Anyway, Chapter 2! Please enjoy!

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* * *

Ben looked up into Rey's eyes, glistening with tears. The small smile slid from his lips and his features softened in compassion. Without her saying a word he knew how much she had cried every night in her hut, wishing he was there. He knew the brave, strong face she put on for her friends when they worried too much. Despite how weakened his body felt, he tightened his hold on Rey's hand and hoped he could erase the pain she felt.

"Don't do this for me." He whispered. Rey frowned, honing in on the slightly hazy bond between them.

"Why shouldn't I shed tears for you?" She demanded softly, making him huff a breath in place of a chuckle.

"Still so spirited." He had always liked her spunk. A cloudy memory surfaced of her arriving on his ship in her tiny escape pod. She had been smart with him about Anakin Skywalker's lightsaber choosing her to find it instead of him. He thought he would have been angry, but it had made him smirk. Even if only for a moment.

His focus was brought back when Rey sagged against the stony slab beneath him. Her pain suddenly flooded through the bond, now burning white hot between them and wiping away the initial haze.

"Rey?" He called her quietly, his brows furrowing as he struggled to sit up only to be hit with a sudden wave of nausea. Through sheer force of will, Ben fought through the sickness and weakness that wracked his body and pushed himself upright. "What did you do?" He questioned her, face drawing with worry. The young woman was sweating despite the room's cool temperature and trying to hide her shaking limbs, stubbornly refusing to collapse.

"I got you back." She told him. His wild hair and worried expression softened his features once again, making him almost boyish in appearance. Rey smiled, happy tears streaming down her cheeks as she reached up to brush several dark tendrils from his forehead. Then her hand fell to his shoulder and unable to fight the exhaustion, Rey passed out.

* * *

Rey awoke slowly, her consciousness immediately tuning into the hum of the Force. Had she dreamed all those events? Had she really brought Ben's soul back to his body? Anxiety moved through the Force in ripples from all directions, distorting it. Her eyes focused on the ceiling of her hut and she brought awareness to her own body. Everything hurt as she slowly sat up and held her palm to her slightly pounding forehead. The very act of breathing felt painful, as if somebody had compressed her ribcage nearly to the point of shattering.

"_That was reckless."_ Leia said. Rey glanced over at her. Even as a force ghost, the woman watched over her fiercely.

"I'm sorry. I couldn't just abandon him there, wherever there was." She felt Leia's energy shifting, swirling with thought. "Leia… is he... Did I… succeed?"

"_He lives, even if you barely did." _Her voice was chastising, but the slight smile that quirked her lips said she wasn't truly angry, in fact she seemed almost proud. Leia respected her apprentice's guts and courage. It reminded her of Luke in his fight with Darth Vader. He had confided to Leia that both Yoda and Obi Wan believed the Sith to be beyond help, but Luke had rejected their teachings and ultimately saved Anakin Skywalker. Rey's passionate, headstrong nature was similar.

Rising from her seat she strode to Rey's side and smiled fondly at her. "_Don't you ever do something so stupid and reckless again. And make sure you give yourself time to heal._" Rey returned her smile.

"Yes Master." She said, slowly coming to her feet. Some pain lanced through her abdomen, but it was not as prominent as it had been in the carbonite chamber. Leia simply nodded before tipping her head, motioning for her to get going.

Rey paused in the doorway of her hut, glancing up at the blue sky before bringing her awareness back to Ben.

"_Where are you?_" She asked him.

"_You're finally awake."_ He sensed her eyes rolling.

"_Are you really going to do this deflecting thing again? Nevermind, I'll just come find you." _

He chuckled to himself and felt her approaching the medical tower. Clearly, she was already recovering. Then he sighed, settling and allowing the medical droids to continue their work. He had suffered severe injuries before his death, and they needed attention now that his body was alive once again. Luckily medical technology had been able to fix a lot of the issues efficiently and effectively. Ben sat on the medical table now, resting his elbows on his knees quietly as the droids around him worked. His injured leg had been repaired quickly, and the internal damage had been dealt with. Now he waited patiently for the droids to administer another treatment to his sluggish muscles. He hated to think of being weakened at all, especially when Rey had clearly needed help.

FN-2187…. Finn, as he was now called, had sensed Rey's struggle through the Force and rushed into the room to see his friend collapsed over his old enemy. Ben had to remind himself that he was Rey's friend now, but he still despised how he had lifted Rey's unconscious body free of his arms. The feeling of her being ripped away from him physically distressed him almost as much as it did mentally. The Ex-Trooper had snarled at him, demanding what he had done to her. Ben had said nothing, only watched Finn carefully between worried glances at the young woman.

A slight shock through his arms made him wince slightly as it brought him back to the present. Then the door opened and hazel eyes locked with deep brown. Rey looked into Ben's face and felt her heart hammer at the passion that flooded through the bond before she moved to stand before him, causing the Force to roll in soft waves. Slowly he rose to stand before her, his frame dwarfing hers as he studied her face. He felt like he was back on Exogol, in that moment he had revived her and wondering if she would reject him. Then her brows furrowed, overcome with emotion.

"I can't believe you're really here." She told him. Their bond was strong once again and she studied his features, but still her disbelief flared through the Force. Glancing away momentarily, he quickly contemplated his impulse and decided to follow it.

Slowly, his hands came to rest on the small woman's shoulders, making her shiver. Dark, calm eyes roamed her face, half lidded. His energy had changed so much, transformed from boiling, seething rage to a gentle and quiet peace. Passion made it spark, but it no longer felt threatening or dangerous. Then he tipped his head and pressed his lips to hers. Rey immediately threw her arms around the tall man, desperate for his touch. Ben held her close, molding her body against his. Breaking apart momentarily, a smile on his face, he asked her.

"Do you believe it now?" Rey nodded eagerly and kissed him again.

* * *

Once the droids had finished their work, Ben had been cleared to leave and he and Rey ended up walking back through the village. His eyes took in the jungle and the people that stared up at him, some in anger and others in fear. The Force was roiling with the conflicted emotions of those around him, but he couldn't fault them. Kylo Ren had worked to strike fear and hopelessness in his struggle for power, but Ben watched them now with quiet remorse and averted his gaze whenever the people here sought to glare at him. Rey felt his sadness and brushed his mind with hers, offering reassurance.

"They'll come around." She told him gently, her confidence flowing into him as she gripped his hand. He glanced down at their clasped fingers before looking to her face. He offered his own reassurance that he would come to get used to this new life.

"But those around me need time as well." Rey nodded in understanding, then she smirked and grinned up at him.

"I know what will help you rebuild your strength. How about a little sparring match?" Ben was surprised that she would suggest it after everything that had happened, but her trust in him was easy to see even without the bond. Despite this, he declined.

"I think it's a bad idea," His blunt refusal gave her pause, "You're still recovering." Rey blinked as she became aware once again of the dull ache in her body. She wanted to protest, but knew he was right. "Show me your house." He changed the topic and she raised a brow at him.

"You come back from the dead, and you're curious about my house?" He ignored her incredulous remark and looked around inquisitively, picking up the slight energy that lingered in her hut.

"Is that it?" He strode off still holding her hand, giving her no choice but to follow the tall man.

"Hey!" Ben and Rey paused at Finn's voice and turned to see him and Poe standing on one of the walkways across the jungle floor. Fury flooded Finn's face as he moved along the rickety bridges and decks. "You better not be planning on hurting her." He snarled. The Force felt sharp and prickly around Finn but Ben stepped up, unwilling to let the other man push him around.

"You have no idea what I went through to protect her." His voice went menacingly deep as he towered over Finn and toed off, frustration flaring and leeching through the bond.

"I also know about the scar you gave me with a light saber!"

"Stop it!" Rey yelled at them both, causing a sharp pulse through the Force that gave both men pause. Poe staggered as he looked on. This Force stuff was beyond what he cared to know about, and the flashes of energy forced him to stay back. "Finn, Ben won't hurt me! You know this!" It was true, Finn was beginning to sense the energy that surrounded the raven-haired man.

"That doesn't mean I have to like him." Finn finally said and slowly backed off. Rey could feel Ben losing his patience with the other man.

"Leave it. He's just being protective." He thought on her words, remembering the horrible things Finn had witnessed under Kylo's command. Nodding, he let his temper cool and turned to Rey.

"I want to protect you too." He told her gently. Her heart skipped and she blinked. His words had been soft, but his feelings had been fierce. Maybe she had misjudged Ben Solo, thinking he had become a more quiet, softer soul. The touch of his hand in hers attested to that fact, but his eyes… His eyes burned into hers now. They reminded her that he would fight for her, and with her, as he had against Palpatine. She struggled to retain composure and simply nodded. Then he brushed the hair from her face, the back of his knuckles lightly trailing over her skin. His touch made her shiver and she stepped away shyly, taking his hand once again and continuing down the walkway.

* * *

Finn returned to Poe, still glaring even as Rey and Ben left, disappearing into her hut.

"You okay there, buddy?" The pilot asked, treading carefully. Finn's jaw worked as he shook his head.

"I just can't help but worry that he'll try to use her. His energy is… really off-putting." Poe frowned and just stared at Finn.

"What exactly does that even mean? You know I don't understand that stuff. Now, if you wanna talk about The Falcon, then I-" Finn cut him off.

"I'm starting to see the Force around people. I wanted to tell Rey, but I haven't had the chance." Poe shrugged, wishing Finn would just spit out what he wanted to say.

"What does that have to do with Mr. Tall, Dark and Moody over there?" Finn scowled at his friend.

"His energy looks weird. It's white but there are big, black streaks through it. I feel like it might be corrupting Rey. She got hurt trying to drag him back from the dead." Then Poe thumped his shoulder and started walking with him towards the supply houses.

"Listen buddy, I think if he was gonna make Rey turn evil or whatever, he wouldn't have gone to help her on Exogol."

"Whose side are you on?" Finn snapped but Poe just quirked a brow and held up his finger to emphasize his point.

"I don't really trust him either, but we also don't know what the hell happened that day." Poe told him. "So I agree, we watch our backs around Mr. Mind Invader. But Rey knows what she's doing too." Then with one last brotherly slap on the back he went to check on their supplies. Finn considered his words but still felt troubled.

* * *

Ben sat on the log that served as Rey's seating area. He looked first at the small firepit and then around the inside of her hut, a strange blend of primitive and high tech. The walls were constructed of tightly woven vines and scrap metal panels. Her bed was more advanced, an open pod of sorts that hovered quietly over the floor. His attention came back to Rey when she handed him a small cup of water and sat across from him. It felt strangely mundane.

"You have questions." She voiced his thoughts. He stared at her momentarily and decided to simply cut straight to the question that bothered him most.

"How did you bring my soul back without giving up your own life?" His eyes flicked to her mouth as she bit her bottom lip.

"Leia taught me." She confessed.

"Taught you what, exactly?" Rey set her own cup down and stood, walking to a small shelf to retrieve a small stack of ratty looking papers.

"Before she passed, she taught me how to heal with the Force at the expense of one's own life. Which you already knew." Ben rose as well and came to stand beside her, angling his body to better see the writing that scrawled across the yellowed sheets.

"She taught you Force Revival? I thought this ability was a myth. Where did you even find this?" Rey looked up at him, a bit of mischief crossing her expression.

"Your mother didn't have much use for rules." Ben smirked, realizing Leia must have stolen them from Luke's texts during her training.

Rey swallowed hard then. That one little smile of his never failed to make her heart race. She was suddenly hyper-aware of their proximity and the heat of his shoulder pressing against hers. Her eyes dropped and she watched the steady rise and fall of his chest, remembering when she had caught him shirtless. Ben caught her and raised his brows slightly as he looked sidelong down at her, completely distracted by his body.

"I have no cowl to put on." Rey jumped and snapped her eyes back up to his, panting slightly with the bit of adrenaline. Then she scrunched her face and lightly hit his arm. He chuckled, grinning at her as she replaced the papers. The teasing felt good and he felt a little lighter, sensing she did too.

"So now I'm here. What happens next?" Rey could think of a few things, all of which involved his hands on her body, then froze. She had forgotten herself for only a second before hiding that thought, but he had glimpsed it anyway and looked pointedly into her face.

"Sorry." She mumbled, turning to gather up her shoulder bag. "We should probably get you set up with some supplies and…" She trailed off when he gently caught her wrist with his fingers, turning her to face him.

Rey thought she might stop breathing when he stepped in closer and pulled her against him, his dark hair falling over one side of his face as he looked down at her.

"We could do those things. If you wanted." He lifted her hand, eyes still locked with hers as he placed a soft kiss in her palm. Tremors went through her body at the look in his eyes. He was being so incredibly gentle, holding back the intensity with which he wanted her. If he scared her off now, he had no idea how to fix it. He searched her face then, suddenly feeling a little bit unsure of himself. Then he felt her reach up, running her fingers through his hair and lightly cupping the back of his neck.

"I want to." She whispered and heard him release a breath, smiling slightly as he leaned down to kiss her.

His focus changed suddenly, looking at the door of the hut. She had sensed it too. No sooner had they picked up on it but a menacing roar howled through the air. They glanced at each other for just a second, taking only that moment to express the regret at the interruption before they both ran outside. Rey's eyes widened at the sight of Finn sprinting from the trees, shooting at the crash of Jungle Rancor that charged behind him and straight towards the village.

* * *

Chapter 2 complete! I hope I'm doing the characters justice here and not being too corny with things either. Thanks for reading.

Lady Taiyou


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3 is here! If you're still with me on the story, thanks for your continued reading! I apologize for the delay, I have been continuing to work to keep the characters as true to themselves as possible and had to rewrite a few parts in this chapter.

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By now the rest of the people in the village were running outside, taking up weapons and moving to defend their homes. BB-8 rolled up to Rey and Ben, beeping wildly.

"What do you mean they're usually peaceful creatures?" Rey asked the astromech who beeped even more insistently. Then he zoomed off down the walkways, making his way closer to the stampeding Rancors. "Beebee-ayte!" Rey called, running after him. Ben had a hard time understanding the droid but learned immediately what Rey had planned and ran after her.

Finn sprinted as hard as his legs would carry him across the treacherous jungle floor, occasionally shooting wildly behind him to slow the charging monsters. He saw Rey running down the planks towards him.

"Rey, no!" He called before being jerked off his feet. At first he thought the Rancors had caught him and braced for the trampling he was sure would come next. Then he opened his eyes and saw Kylo had picked him up with the Force. "Put me down!" he hollered. There was a moment of hesitation before the dark haired man shrugged and swung Finn into the trees. He flailed and crashed through the vegetation, coming to a hard stop in a snare of vines. The Rancors trampled the ground beneath him as he struggled to fire his blaster, yelling in frustration.

* * *

Rey reached out and tried to convince the creatures to calm their stampede, but only a handful stopped.

"Stop it! Let them go!" Ben called to her from further up the walk. She looked over her shoulder and at the grim looking people stationed along the village behind her.

"No! This is my home!" She stretched her mind further, gritting her teeth against the pain that began to flare through her abdomen. Coming to stand beside her, Ben flung his own hand out, grunting with the effort he lent to assist her.

* * *

Poe watched Ben and Rey make their stand on the Northwest point of the village and then looked to the Rancors.

"Gotta move. Move! Get outta the way!" Poe yelled, making everyone spring into action.

"We'll fight!" A rousing chorus of those in agreement rose up.

"There's not enough of us! You wanna rebuild your houses or your bones? Now move it!" The ground shook with the weight of the creatures bearing down, forcing the issue. They began to dash for cover while Poe tried to improvise a plan, making a mad run to the nearest ship. He glanced to see how much time he had, if any. The Jedi couple were clearly struggling, fighting harder as the ground shook with staggering intensity. The Rancor crash was like a cannon shot and he braced for the impact.

The sound of broken wood filled Poe's ears, but when he looked up, he saw the jungle trees buckling to the presence of the ship that crashed through them. All eyes snapped to the ship and Poe grinned, suddenly dizzy with relief. BB-8 worked furiously to manage the half-built piece of junk that was Finn and Rose's latest project. The Rancors swerved away from the sudden movement, crashing through the east edge of the village at the last minute in a desperate bid to escape this noisy new predator. The stragglers influenced by Rey and Ben shook their brightly colored heads and thundered off the other direction. BB-8 could be heard blipping and chirping excitedly as he piloted the clumsy machination, chasing the herd along to make sure they left entirely. People began poking their heads out from their cover, slowly looking around and taking stock of the damages.

* * *

An hour later, Poe was still delegating repairs and medical aid as he made his way along the remaining walkways. Rey and Ben were talking quietly, both wearing frowns as they cleared broken planks and twisted metal.

"What should I have done? Let those things just completely trample my home and my friends?" Rey challenged. Ben paused and locked eyes with her briefly before staring down at the wreckage in his hands.

"I can feel your pain. I know when you're at your limit." His reminder was true, but it only made her temper flare.

"So what should we have done?" The worry for her safety flooded through into her mind.

"You have a lot of strength, but you're weak right now. We both know what might have happened if that droid hadn't appeared."

"That doesn't answer my question." She snapped.

"Do you think you would have succeeded with that plan with such little power? Then where would your friends be?" He asked her. She glared, hating how he always seemed to argue with her so cooly.

"If you thought it was a bad idea then why did you try to help me?" Brown eyes pinned her hard, causing her ire to halt.

"Because I will always choose to stand with you." She blinked, taken aback by his conviction.

"Well I don't know what the hell that contraption was, but it saved our asses. Never underestimate a droid!" Poe interrupted unceremoniously, appearing on the remains of the walkways above them. "Talk about a surprise though, where the hell did those Jungle Rancor come from?"

"What do you mean?" Rey asked, flicking hair from her sweat beaded brow to look up at him.

"I mean, they aren't native to this planet. At least, I thought they weren't." Rey had had no idea, her dealings only ever being with desert Rancor.

"So either they're an undocumented population." Ben straightened from his work once again, noting the suspicion in Rey's voice.

"Or somebody brought them here for some reason." Poe finished her thought. "I think it's something to look into," he said, nodding in agreement with himself. Then he looked around a bit more. "And uh… Where's Finn? I haven't seen him." Stiffening momentarily, Ben's eyes widened slightly before slowly looking out towards the trees.

"Ah..." Was all he said. Rey followed his gaze in confusion, and then picked up Finn's energy just as a call for help rang out from the vegetation. Ben felt the accusatory stare from the woman beside him, but he also felt the humor within her and saw it in the quirk of her brow when he slid his eyes to hers. Poe shook his head and jumped down to the jungle floor.

"Let's go get the poor guy."

* * *

"No! No way! Rey, you tell him to stay the hell away from me!" Finn protested, hanging precariously. At some point he'd dropped his blaster and now hung in a hopeless tangle. Poe couldn't help himself and howled with uncontrollable laughter, which made Rey grin as well.

"You did ask him to put you down." She laughed.

"He was trying to kill me!" Finn raged and struggled, which made him slowly rotate in the tangled vines.

"No, I knew exactly where you would end up." Ben stated matter of factly. Then he watched with keen interest as Rey drew her newly built light saber and used it to cut Finn free. He crashed to the ground, scrambling to get his feet under him. Poe helped him up, shouting in surprise when he was suddenly shoved back. Grabbing his blaster, Finn aimed at the raven-haired Jedi and pulled the trigger. Pure instinct allowed Ben to force the trajectory of the blaster up, sending the shot skyward. Silence followed for several heartbeats. Then Rey grabbed the blaster out of Finn's hand, raging at him with the ferocity of a lioness.

"What do you think you're trying to do?"

"He's still Kylo Ren! If he had your interest in mind at all then why did he let you try to die out here over a bunch of Rancor?"

"You're being ridiculous! You're only seeing what you want to see." Rey told him through grit teeth. "And his name is Ben!"

"He tossed me away like he used to throw around everyone else he commanded!"

"To protect you!" She told him incredulously and stepped closer, examining his face in an effort to understand. "I can't believe you would try to attack him, even knowing that he's…" She trailed off. The emotions were too complex for her to voice and she turned, storming off.

"Rey, wait!" Finn called, chasing after her only to feel the Force shove him backwards. Ben sidestepped him as he once again fell to the ground. He knew at some point he would have to try to work things out with the Ex-Trooper, but right now he felt Rey's distraught thoughts at the mention of Kylo Ren and her unspoken feelings.

* * *

"Rey." She turned quickly, ready to tear into the person intruding into her hut and her privacy. Ben read her as easily as he breathed, feeling her exhaustion from the fighting and use of power. "You and I both know Kylo Ren is dead." She blinked back frustrated tears.

"So why doesn't everyone else believe it? You're not the monster we thought you to be." The tall man approached her and brushed a tear away with his thumb.

"Yes I am." She remembered their connection from what must have been a year prior now. He had never denied that his actions were horrific, but he had been confused and angry. "I gave my life for yours. That was supposed to be the price I paid for being as such." Her brows furrowed and she took a step back.

"So I shouldn't have tried to bring you back?" Part of her wanted to yell at him for saying he deserved death, but she also knew that his words made sense no matter how much she chose not to believe it.

"Maybe not. But you've been suffering, haven't you?" She glanced away, thinking about the horrible emptiness his death had left within her. "So, this is something that we have to work through. A new obstacle." She nodded and sat on the edge of her bed.

"It's just so disheartening. I wish I could make them understand."

"You mean explain the Dyad?" She nodded again and looked up at him, offering a small smile.

"There doesn't seem to be any way to describe exactly what it's like." Ben walked around her small home, considering her words as he looked at the small damages it had suffered in the Rancor charge, but not really registering them. Silence reigned for several minutes before he faced Rey again.

"But you do have a way to describe it, don't you?" His tone spiked her adrenaline. He was far too skilled at getting her to own up to her own feelings.

"You already know what I would say." She told him quietly, feeling her cheeks heat when he came to kneel before her and placed his hand over hers. His expression was soft as he searched her face.

"Say it. Please." He plead to her quietly, his beautiful dark eyes imploring her.

"I love you." She whispered. His smile slowly grew to a grin.

"I know." He whispered back. She only had a second to roll her eyes before he captured her mouth with his, kissing her deeply.

His sudden fervor caught her off guard for only a moment. Their bond seemed to pulse, and she couldn't tell after if it raced because of the complex dynamic they shared, or if it was simply matching their own racing heartbeats. His arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her against his body, her fingers tangling in his dark hair. It wasn't enough for either of them. Ben broke the kiss only long enough to stand and pull Rey to her feet, then her lips were kissing along his jaw and neck. Eager hands roamed over the fabric of his worn shirt, desperate to feel all the lines of his toned body. He groaned softly and glanced to the windows, reaching out and flicking two fingers to slam the metal panels shut. Rey turned his face back to hers and kissed him again, taking hold of his outstretched hand and placing it on her body.

"I want you to touch me everywhere." She breathed into his ear. She had come to love his hands. Those wonderful, strong hands calloused from years of training with a light saber. She gasped as fabric slid over skin, her wrapped top falling away easily under his caress. She blushed, but Ben felt her enjoyment in his mind and under his hands as he lightly raked his fingers along her ribs before gliding over her breasts. A shiver went through her body, making him pause and sweep his gaze over her, swallowing hard.

"You're beautiful." He told her. The hunger in his eyes made her giddy and she couldn't help the grin that spread across her face, drawing out his own crooked smirk. She gripped his shirt, her fingernails grazing his skin as she removed it. A laugh escaped her when he hugged her tight, placing quick, sweet kisses all along her neck and shoulders. Her fingers found the small scar remaining on his left shoulder where she'd stabbed him with Luke's light saber and her giddiness quieted as she touched it gently. Ben wondered what her exact thoughts might be, sensing guilt flicker from her.

"Let go, remember?" He brushed her hair from her face, noting that it had grown longer since the battle on Exogol. She nodded before placing a kiss over the old wound and continuing along his chest. She tasted his skin, her warm mouth and tongue making pleasure roll off him into the Force. Looking down, he watched her kiss a trail down and over his abs and ribs, lightly biting his skin. When had she become so bold? He always thought she would be more shy, but the bond felt like a hot wire now. Did she know he was ready to burst into flames? He only allowed her to continue for a few moments longer before he couldn't stand it. Running his hands down her back, he gripped her butt, pushing his hips into her and grunting softly when she ground back into him.

"Ben." Rey moaned softly at the feel of his body against her, zings of pleasure shooting low into her belly. Then his hands moved to grip her legs and he kissed her throat before hoisting her up. Instinctively she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him hard, her tongue sweeping over his lips.

* * *

Ben carried her easily and leaned to set her onto the bed. Then he broke the kiss suddenly, eyes widening as he slipped on the dusty wood floor and lost his balance. Forced to reach out and brace one hand against the wall, he landed in a half kneel over Rey, his other arm still cradling her shoulders. They breathed heavily, surprise and desire mixing and overwhelming their minds and bodies now. Ben grit his teeth at the increasingly uncomfortable constriction of his pants and blew out a breath. Rey smirked at him, loving how crazy he was becoming.

"You're holding back." Her hand slid down his abs and traced along his waistband, making him groan. "I need all of you." She told him, unbuttoning his pants. He grabbed her wrists then, pinning them one-handed over her head.

"I'll give you whatever you want." He whispered and caressed her breast, his thumb slowly teasing her nipple. Heat pooled at Rey's center and she arched her back into him, exhaling a rough breath as he began to explore her body further. His touch left trails of fire over her skin, eliciting soft moans and working further down until he hooked his fingers into her waistband. She managed to look down at him, nearly coming undone by the intense burn of his eyes on hers. He kissed her navel, then yanked the last of her clothes free of her body.

Rey thought she might have been more shy, but this man had seen the most raw parts of her soul and mind. He already accepted all her flaws and fears. She couldn't wait any longer, she needed him now. Maneuvering quickly she followed his lead and stripped him, hazel eyes roaming his warrior's body. They knelt before each other, pressing their bodies together as tightly as possible in a desperate kiss, once more exploring each other's body's.

"Let me feel you." His breath tickled her ear and she suddenly clung to him, afraid she might collapse at his erotic touch.

"More." She demanded, voice breathy. He continued until she was sure she couldn't stand anymore and gripped his butt, pushing herself against his hardness.

"Please Ben," Rey plead, "Now." His arm wrapped around her, cradling her even as he pushed her back roughly.

They both moaned when he entered her, feeling as if a missing part of the universe suddenly clicked into place. The dark-haired man held Rey tight, watching her carefully before slowly moving inside her. She moaned and placed a hand behind his neck, fingers tangling in his hair and wondering if she could ever love someone more than this? Once he was sure he wasn't hurting her he tucked his face into her neck, moving faster and filling her over and over.

Sweat slicked their skin as their fervor and movements grew rougher and harder. Ben's muffled groans increased, and he dragged his hand over her ribs and hip, reveling in the soft curves that seemed made to fit against him. She had tried to imagine what this would be like and had wished for him to come back to her so badly. Now he was here, and she had all of him. It was far beyond anything she could have ever thought. Ben kissed and nipped her skin, teasing her ear with his tongue. Her body was slowly coiling around him, almost painfully, and the bond felt like it might burst. Ben drove deeper, eliciting a gasp from Rey, her fingers digging into his back as they rose higher and higher together. She buried her face in his hair, inhaling his deep masculine scent.

"Ben please…" She thought she might fall apart, then felt his hand on her face. He kissed her hard as they both came crashing down around each other. The bond flared with light, matching the waves of deep, delicious pleasure that rocked through them and left them gasping for air.

* * *

Ben slowly rolled to lay beside her, still cradling her close. Rey curled up tight against his chest, feeling warm and safe wrapped in his large frame. He brushed her sweat dampened hair from her forehead before placing a kiss there.

"You're good?" He asked quietly, smiling slightly and closing his eyes when she kissed his neck.

"I've never felt like that before." She admitted. "Did I… That is, could I give you what you needed?" He peered down at her, his eyes already feeling heavy with fatigue. Her expression made him laugh slightly.

"Where is this coming from?" She blushed but he just held her tighter. "Don't worry, you're everything I need. Just you." He told her with a deep, relaxed sigh. In a few moments, his breathing evened out.

Rey observed his face, smiling at how peaceful he looked. Then she thought maybe she should get up and find some work to do, but his body was warm, and she felt so relaxed and comfortable. Maybe she could relax here for just a few minutes longer. She slipped off into blissful, dreamless sleep almost immediately. She awoke to heated voices at her door a few hours later.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

* * *

Okay, end Chapter 3. I hope you guys enjoyed it. I've never posted a lemon on Fanfic before (Eeek!) So hopefully this forst crack at it went ok!

I think I will continue with this story since I have a few followers at this point. If you liked what you read, feel free to favorite/follow. I am a very fluffy writer, so guaranteed to be more REYLO fluff!


	4. Chapter 4

Welcome to Chapter 4. I just wanted to thank all those who have recently followed/favorited the story. I'm glad to see the interest and I will continue to work on developing the story more thoroughly, so I apologize if chapters are a bit more delayed in the interest of research and plot development. I had not expected this story to have as much interest as it has, but I have some ideas that I hope will be interesting. That being said, please remember I am no Star Wars expert in terms of EU lore, and this is my own rendition of events, so please just try to enjoy the story for what it is.

If you guys are having a tough time with the format, please let me know so I can make edits, or if you have constructive criticism/reviews to leave in general please feel free.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

* * *

The voices that stirred Rey grew louder. She blinked the fatigue from her eyes and realized she was still tucked under Ben's arm. He was propped up on his elbow, listening to the altercation before looking down at Rey.

"What's happening?" She asked, craning to listen over her shoulder. One voice belonged to Poe, and it sounded like Rose and Finn as well.

"It sounds like something to do with the Rancors." He mumbled, brows furrowed slightly. Rey shivered as he slid his hand along her back before reaching up to push his messy hair from his face and yawning. She smiled and kissed him quickly before hopping up and getting dressed. Despite his residual drowsiness, Ben followed suit and the two Jedi stepped outside, only slightly mussed, to join the conversation. Three sets of eyes fell onto the pair, the conversation going silent. Rey looked between them, frowning slightly at the odd behavior.

"What's going on?" She prompted. Rose nudged the two men on either side of her out of the way, making them jump and break their stare.

"I was doing some maintenance on one of the ships and noticed something weird on the radar." She told Rey. "I have a strong feeling it was linked to that Rancor stampede, but I have no way to confirm it yet." Rose pulled up a small screen, rapidly typing in some information to pull up a set of coordinates. "I managed to get a location on it though."

"Any idea what it could be?" Ben asked. Rose shook her head.

"Can't say I have the technology required to identify it."

"Actually, we thought maybe one of you two could sense something, but Finn kept insisting we shouldn't bother you guys. Something about you being busy?" Poe told them with a shrug and quirked brow. Rey's eyes went to Finn who looked away quickly, his cheeks reddening. The realization came to both Rey and Ben simultaneously.

"_Force Sensitive._" They thought to each other, thinking about how the Force had rolled and quaked around them a few hours earlier.

"Rey? Are you okay?" Rose asked innocently, watching her friend grow slowly more flustered. Ben, unabashed by the knowledge, instead looked away and hid the smirk that quirked one corner of his lips as Rey's embarrassment flooded the bond. She glared up at him in indignation before shaking her head.

"I'm fine. But to answer you Poe, I don't sense anything out of the ordinary."

"Neither do I." Ben confessed, then leaned in to look at the coordinates once again. "Is there a map of this planet we could reference?" Poe nodded and led the group to the crude building that served as their new hangar and official headquarters.

* * *

Rose tapped away on the computer, pulling up the map of Ajan Kloss and pinpointing the coordinates.

"Looks like it's about three hundred Kliks away from us. If your hunch is right Rose, then that's a hell of a long way for Rancors to travel, let alone stampede in a blind rage." Poe said, pacing back and forth with his hands on his hips. The more they investigated, the more he had a bad feeling about it. Not even two highly tuned Jedi had been able to pick up on the Crash until it was nearly on top of them. Of course, he also had no idea just how weakened their powers were as they recovered from the whole revival thing. Rey looked over the map and then to Finn.

"Finn, did you see anything before that herd chased you?" He scrunched his face as he thought and after a moment moved around the map.

"Nothing definite is really coming to mind." Finn tried to recall, placing his hand on his chin. Ben was quietly observing the map. Something about this stirred something small in his memory, but the thread of information was frustratingly elusive.

"Do we have any plans about what to do?" He looked between the other two men. Finn glanced at him, pressing his lips together before shaking his head.

"I thought it might be a good idea to fly in a few scouts." Poe told him but Rose interjected.

"I'm no strategist, but if we have no idea what this thing is, wouldn't flying over in a ship be a little conspicuous?" Begrudgingly, he acknowledged her point. As much as he wished he could fly in and blow everything up, he remembered the stinging reminder from Leia that it was not always the wisest course of action.

"So we go on foot." Rey said.

"And have no means of quick escape? Bad idea." The group went quiet for several minutes until Rose spoke up once again.

"You don't have to be without quick escape!" Her excitement bubbled up as she ran to one of the equipment stashes. "I can set you up with a tracker, no problem! And if the ground squad runs into a snag, you just hit a button!" She set a small, round contraption on the table before them and grinned widely. "Poe, you can hang back to pilot the emergency ship if need be while Rey, Ben and Finn lead a ground group." Poe nodded, liking the idea a little more.

"Simple, but it just might work! And she says she's no strategist." Rose blushed at the praise, clutching the small tracker to her chest now as she tried to contain how proud she felt. Finn however looked completely stony faced. Rey could tell he was trying not to shoot the plan down simply because of his feud with Ben, but his frustration rolled off him in seething waves. "Alright, well let's take some time to prepare. We should all get a good night's sleep, too." Poe shot Ben and Rey a look which immediately set Rey's face ablaze.

"Understood." Finn said and strode out. Ben watched him go, then glanced at Rey. Her embarrassment melted away as her face fell, watching her friend walk away.

* * *

Finn sat cleaning his blaster when he felt a presence approaching his house. He stood, hearing a quiet knock.

"We need to talk." Kylo Ren's voice… no, Ben Solo's voice floated in. Finn contemplated telling him to leave but thinking about how upset Rey had been just this morning for his harsh words made him reconsider.

"Come in then." He sat back down and continued working when Ben stepped inside, the tall man's eyes flicking briefly to the blaster.

"I won't toy around with small talk. You and I need to sort out our history. For Rey's sake." Finn paused and narrowed his eyes. His hatred for Kylo warred in his mind over his affection for Rey.

"What do you have in mind exactly?" He asked, hand tightening on his weapon when Ben stepped closer.

"I'm not asking you to like me or even forgive me. But I can see you mean a lot to Rey." Finn glared at him. How did he know anything of Rey? All he'd ever done was try to kill them! He stood as his anger exploded.

"I have no intention of ever forgiving you! The way you threw me earlier? You did that to Rey, too. Back in the forest on Starkiller base. How can I believe that you care about her and you're not just using her?" He waited for Kylo to snap back at him, almost craving the opportunity to go for a second fight, but the man's dark eyes just looked him over carefully.

"Let me tell you from experience. Thoughts like those will get you into trouble." Finn blinked.

"How-?"

"Your intentions are easy to read, I can sense how unbalanced you are. Just like you can sense Rey and I." Ben lifted a small jar from the nearby table, tossing it quickly. The Ex-Trooper raised his hand reflexively, surprised when the jar stopped short of his outstretched palm before immediately falling to the ground, shattering. His mouth hung open, rage forgotten. How had he done that?

At Ben's simple movement the broken shards lifted, slowly orbiting his hand.

"I can tell you have some growing ability with the Force. So you should be able to tell that Rey and I are bonded and have been for some time." The rogue Jedi watched the other man go over this information in his head, clearly unsure about what he was hearing and seeing.

"What does the Force have to do with you caring about Rey?"

"Everything. We're a Dyad." Ben said, letting the shards around his hand drop and slowly stepped up to Finn, toeing off once again.

"What does that even mean?" Finn's jaw clenched at Ben's answer.

"You really can't feel it?"

"Obviously not." Ben pressed his lips together, taking a deep breath before continuing.

"Let me be clear. I have no camaraderie for you in the slightest." He said, the bluntness of his statement making Finn snort. Then his eyes went to the hand Ben offered, recoiling slightly. "But I will offer you respect, and maybe even help you start to use your abilities should you choose to embrace them." For a long time, Finn didn't move. This man had been his sworn enemy and had nearly killed him several times over. He had brought so much misery to so many lives, but Rey had believed in his change so deeply she was willing to risk her life to bring him back. Ben watched the thoughts play out on his face, beginning to wonder if he would reject the shaky truce and tell him to get out. Then very begrudgingly, Finn shook his hand.

"Fine. But if anyone is going to teach me, it's going to be Rey." Ben nodded.

* * *

Rey looked around at her meager belongings and tried to figure out what the best equipment would be for their mission. She tucked a clean set of clothes into a pack, trying to remember when she had needed to camp out anywhere. Occasionally on Jakku she had been forced to seek shelter in one of the many wreckages that lay in the great graveyard of sand, seemingly full of ancient ghosts of people and battles from years gone by. Next, she laid her lightsaber on her bed. She would attach it to her belt later.

"You did a good job building it." Rey paused at Ben's voice, glancing over to see him entering her house.

"I'm happy with it." She looked up at him as he came to stand next to her, picking up the saber carefully and studying the build. She had put a great deal of effort into the weapon, and had even contemplated a cross guard like Ben's. She had decided against it almost immediately, thinking that the memories around such a design were only terrible ones and such a legacy was best left in the past. "Oh!" She exclaimed. He currently had no lightsaber!

"Wait here, I have something for you." Ben watched curiously as Rey uncovered a hole hidden under the earthen floor, pulling out a box wrapped in several layers of cloth. It looked old, the fabric threadbare in places and almost ready to fall apart.

"I found these in Leia's quarters after… Oh." She trailed off and glanced up. The bittersweet smile that Ben offered her broke her heart. "I'm so sorry." Tears filled her eyes at the heartache that mirrored her own through the bond.

"_Are you two seriously going to stand here and blubber like you'll never see me again?"_ Shocked eyes snapped to Leia's ghost.

"Mom." Ben's voice shook, his calm demeanor melting away to reveal the boy who had so desperately missed his mother. Rey looked on quietly for a moment before rising slowly and moving to leave.

"_Stay here Rey._" Leia told her, then approached Ben. "_My beautiful, sweet boy. Don't you know I'll always be with you?" _

Ben wished he could hug her. Feeling her presence slip away had shattered him and despite the rough relationship they'd had when he was child, he still shared a deep bond with her through the Force. Her love and worry for his safety and well-being was always at the center of everything. He reached out to touch her shoulder, but only felt a whisper of the fiery energy she'd exuded in life. Rey watched and thought of her own parents, the deep pain of loss from both sides permeating the bond and sending tears down her cheeks.

"I… have so much I want to tell you." Ben choked, then felt a gentle warmth in the Force as Leia shook her head.

_"You don't need to say anything. Seeing you happy is the greatest gift a parent could ask for."_ After a moment Ben nodded, glancing down at his feet and taking a deep breath. "_Rey. Could you bring that box?"_ Rey snapped from her reminiscence; her parent's memory would have to wait. Wiping her face, she did as she was told, opening the fragile container carefully. Ben looked inside to find a lightsaber. The build was quite old but well done, crafted by a true master. He looked to Leia who just tipped her head for him to take it. Long fingers wrapped around the hilt, picking it carefully from the box.

"This blade. Who did it belong to?" He asked.

_"Obi Wan Kenobi. Luke and Anakin's teacher. Luke managed to recover it with some help from Artoo and an old friend."_ Ben turned the lightsaber over in his hand. This had belonged to the man who trained his Grandfather and Uncle, a Jedi Knight who had always known his place in the world. Then he looked to Rey and his heart caught in his chest. Those beautiful hazel eyes so full of compassion and love were trained on his face, letting him know she was here for him. Before he had died, he had finally learned where his own place in the world was. It would always be beside Rey.

Turning back to the lightsaber in his hand, he ignited the blade. The soft rasp as it extended and then hummed to life sent chills down his spine. Power coursed through the brilliant blue weapon, almost like an extension of Ben's arm. A perfect fit. He grinned at Leia and Rey, suddenly feeling carefree and lightweight. Unable to contain his excitement, he snagged Rey by the waist with his free arm and spun her around, making her yelp in surprise and grab onto his shoulders. Then she smiled and kissed him, caught up in the moment. Leia laughed and gently admonished them.

_"Keep it to yourselves, you two. Maybe it's a good idea for you to go out and practice? Perhaps meditate?"_ She suggested, coaxing the pair to go and do as they were told.

She watched as Ben followed Rey out the door and down the walkways, glad to see him finally smile, but she worried that he would still have some obstacles to overcome along his new path. _"At least this time I'll be able to watch over you more closely my son._" Rey and Ben were truly the same, an equal balance of light and dark with surges of both depending on the influences around them. But together they formed a truly perfect set of grey Jedi. Hopefully the latent power wouldn't overwhelm them, and they could continue to grow and balance each other.

* * *

Rey led the way to the training area, the couple smiling and laughing like a pair of kids.

"I hope you're not too rusty, Solo." Rey taunted, turning to face him with a sassy smirk and readying her saber. Ben flourished his own saber and circled around her, once again admiring the brilliant yellow kyber crystal.

"You can only hope, girl." He returned, the rich depth of his voice sending shivers down her spine.

"Haven't you heard?" She told him, "I go by Skywalker now." Then she clashed blades with him. He blocked easily, spinning the lightsaber and dancing around her skillfully before striking back. Rey liked this new technique of his. He had always been so brutish with his strikes before, but now he swung and blocked with precision. She wanted to know more about Ben's fighting style and attacked again, exchanging blows back and forth before his blade caught hers in a high block.

"Skywalker?" He questioned. "I don't know if it suits you." Pushing off, he spun and struck for her shoulder which she easily parried and maneuvered underneath. More quick strikes and a blade lock, Hazel eyes clashing with deep brown.

"I think it suits me fine." She argued, gritting her teeth. He just smirked and slid his saber along hers slowly, sending sparks flying before flicking it away to step in and catch her arm in his hand.

"I can think of a much better name." He whispered in her ear. Rey blinked then scrunched her face in concentration, grabbing his wrist and twirling to lever him over her hip with a savage yell. Ben dropped his saber but managed to grapple with Rey, disarming her and pulling her to the ground with him. She pinned his shoulders, her hair dangling into his face.

"I don't want another name." Her temper flared , but the tall man just smiled. A quick jerk knocked her off balance, allowing him to flip her easily and pin her arms above her head.

"We'll see." He told her with a wink. It took all of Rey's concentration not to melt underneath him and go straight to tangling her fingers into his dark, messy locks.

"I think you've gotten stronger." Rey glanced away at the unexpected compliment.

"I'm not so sure about that. There's still so much I need to learn." Ben bumped his forehead against hers.

"Me too. My training was never really completed either." She knew he was trying to make her feel better, but she shook her head slightly.

"Your training still exceeds mine. The way you fight when you're centered is… Incredible. Much better than your brutish way from before." The sass returned to her tone and made Ben narrow his eyes slightly. The subtle change in his expression made her bite her lip, his features marred only by two small little moles. Rey decided they made him more handsome, a slight imperfection that still seemed to enhance his masculine face.

"So feisty, but you're in a poor position to be taunting me."

"You can't do anything to me." She countered, smiling smugly.

"I can't?" He smirked at the defiant glare she gave him, watching it disappear with a gasp as he slid his knee between her thighs. Her back arched of its own accord, her body instantly craving more contact with him. Releasing her wrists he instead cradled her face and kissed her deeply, eventually allowing her to push him over and straddle him. Her lips tasted sweet and addictive, making him loathe that he ever had to stop kissing them. Slowly her hands slid over his shoulders and up into his hair. She wanted him right here and now.

"Rey?" Finn's voice carried through the trees as he approached. The couple broke their kiss and glanced with raised brows towards the path that entered the training area, then looked back to each other before kissing quickly once more and scrambling upright, summoning their sabers back to hand. When Finn arrived, he saw the two Jedi slowly working through lightsaber maneuvers and walking around the clearing without a word. Rey sheathed her blade and strode over.

"Yeah? You called? I mean, you called me?" Finn instantly frowned and raised a brow.

"Uh yeah, I was wondering if I could talk to you?" He asked and watched her try to hook her saber into her belt, missing twice before it clipped into place.

"Of course!" She squeaked, brushing her hands off. Her tone was weird, but he shook his head and pressed on.

"I… wanted to apologize for what I did earlier. For attacking… Ben." He mumbled quietly. Rey's energy shifted instantly, flooding with remorse for fighting with her friend. He had suffered his fair share during their fight with the First Order, and she had been unfair to simply expect him to change his thinking.

"I'm sorry too. I was selfish." She said and hugged him tightly. Ben had been listening quietly and smiled at the new sense of peace that drifted from Rey. He finished his lightsaber drill and turned to face them.

"Rey and I were training." She released Finn and quirked a brow at him, placing her hand on her hip, voice resonating in his mind.

"_Liar._"

"_It started out that way._" He thought, glancing to the side briefly to hide his half smile. "Maybe you'd like to join us Finn." Finn's eyes flicked back and forth between them, his lips pursing.

"Well uh, I was actually hoping you might coach me Rey. In the Force." She beamed at his request, flattered and excited for him to be discovering his own abilities! But she also felt a flutter of anxiety.

"I would be happy to teach you what I know, Finn. But you realize I'm no Jedi master."

"But I trust you." He said. Rey expected a jab against Ben, but none came and she glanced between them. Both men had stiff postures but seemed to have come to a tentative agreement. So she nodded in resolve.

"I'll do my best. But I want to meditate before we leave in the morning. I've still got some recovering to do." Finn nodded and hugged her one more time. He didn't think he would ever like Rey's so-called other half, but if they could manage to coexist and keep the peace then he would.

* * *

Finn made his way back up towards his house, feeling far calmer than he had in several days. He looked over to the destroyed part of the settlement, watching BB-8, Poe, Chewie and more of his friends working to clear out the last of the debris. The repairs would probably take two or more weeks and part of him wished he could stay back to help. His eyes swept over the destruction and spied Rose in the crowd, working furiously to repair any damaged tech to the buildings and surrounding area. She was such an integral part of the village growing and expanding, but he would miss her exuberance and scrappy personality while he was away. Changing his path, he made his way over to see if he could offer any help. Rose smiled warmly, welcoming his assistance.

* * *

Settling in to meditate after Finn's departure, Rey worked on rebuilding her energy and concentration while Ben sat with his lightsaber. Normally it would take days to meld himself into the blade, but this night would have to do for now. Hopefully he could continue to work on it while they traveled. Breathing deeply, he let his mind go blank of everything except his intent on the weapon.

For a long while his work went well, and he experienced no distractions. Then a small thread of information tried to worm its way into his mind. He pushed it away repeatedly until it insistently barged to the fore. Images of a large tusked creature with dead eyes invaded his thoughts. The monster towered over him; its clawed hands easily capable of crushing him in a single squeeze. More of the creatures appeared behind the first, then his vision rotated, and he saw himself and Rey, brutally slaughtered. Cold fear lanced through him, snapping him from the vision with his senses tingling and body rigid.

Brown eyes darted around the now darkened area for any sign of danger, taking a shaky breath when he sensed nothing except the quiet sounds of night. He looked over to Rey who moments ago had been deep in her trance. Now she stared at him, wondering what had caused such terror to suddenly burst through his concentration and into the bond.

"Ben?" She walked up to him and placed a hand on his arm. "What is it?" He looked back out to the trees.

"I don't know… But we had better be well prepared for what we find out there." Rey followed his gaze and set her jaw.

"Whatever's out there, we'll face it together. We'll win." She said, letting her confidence flow over Ben. It calmed him somewhat, but he still had doubts. They had both grown stronger since their first fight on the Starkiller base, but they were still only partially trained Jedi. "Come on. We should go get something to eat." The suggestion of food was enough to remind Ben that he was starving and allowed Rey to gently lead him away from the clearing in the jungle.

He couldn't remove the sight of her lifeless body from his mind though, brutally ripped apart and scarcely recognizable. He had endured her death once and proven that he would rather die himself before he would accept such a fate for her. But how could he protect her from the threat he had seen? Even if he died for her again it wouldn't save her. As they rounded one of the houses, Ben quickly flipped his wrist and broke the hold she had on his hand. Rey looked back at him with furrowed brows. His stare halted her, the intensity in his dark eyes making her breath catch. He couldn't think of the words to express everything he felt and thumped the wall beside him with his fist, glancing away.

"Ben. Please let me help you." Rey implored him softly. He leaned back against the house now and ran his hand through his hair.

"I don't think you can." He said, shaking his head. The petite girl's temper flared once again.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she demanded, moving to stand in front of her soul mate, leaving him no choice but to meet her glare head on.

"I want to do what I can to keep you safe!" He met her ire in equal measure and Rey narrowed her eyes.

"Ben Solo don't you dare treat me like a damsel in distress."

"I would never insult you like that." He snapped.

"You just did! I'm just as capable as you are in a fight. We're equals." She said, placing her palm over his heart. His eyes never left hers as he very slowly reached up and took hold of her hand.

"I failed you once before. During the fight with the Emperor." She shook her head, trying to figure out what he meant.

"I don't understand. You didn't fail me!"

"I did." He growled, pushing her backwards until she bumped against the wall. His voice went ominously soft as he braced on either side of her and leaned down, his face level with hers. "I was too weak to protect you after he took our life force. I tried and he swatted me aside like an insect." He told her, ignoring her stubborn glare. "If I lose you, it's all over. Do you understand that? The Dark side will claim me for good. And I'll let it." The air felt almost electric between them as they stared each other down.

"I won't let you turn." She told him fiercely. "But you must believe me when I say you didn't fail me." He grit his teeth, ready to argue but she kissed him quickly, catching him off guard. "_Let me finish." _She thought to him. The she pulled back and placed her hands on either side of his face. "You always feared you would never be as strong as Anakin Skywalker. But you succeeded where he could not because you were able to save the woman you love." Ben's temper subsided and he straightened slowly, arms dropping to his sides.

"What about now? Will I be strong enough to protect you from death?"

"You can't think like that, or you'll truly follow Darth Vader's path. I don't want you to protect me, I just want you to fight by my side and trust that we'll get through this." The tall man's face had gone solemn. He knew she was right, and searching for any way possible to keep her from harm would only end in misery and contempt. She would come to resent him for undermining her abilities and strength. Both of which had allowed her to rise and match him in battle with lightsabers and wits. The bond between them fluttered lightly, as if to remind him of the advantage they had as a dyad.

"I trust you." He finally said with a sigh. "But I'm still worried. We need to train as a team."

"We will." She said, wrapping her arms around him. Her resolve gave him hope and he returned her embrace. After a moment she felt him lift her up, feet dangling just above the ground as he held her body held tightly against his and kissed her.

* * *

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End of Chapter 4. As always, thanks for reading!

Lady Taiyou


	5. Chapter 5

Hello readers, welcome to Chapter 5. I apologize for the delay. If you're still with me, thanks so much for sticking with the story.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Ben stared into the gently burning fire while Rey slept soundly a short distance away. The sounds of the jungle around them created soft, soothing white noise but he couldn't sleep. They had set out that morning on their scouting mission, stocked with provisions and more equipment than he thought they reasonably needed. Rose's insistence had prevented any argument from any of the ground squad and she had even helped outfit him with some new clothes, a belt and a small yet very practical set of laser-based tools.

"These should prove handy for minor repairs if the lightsabers get damaged." She'd told him. "If the crystal breaks, then that will be up to Rey." He had thanked her but silently noted the tension underlying her words, and she had carefully avoided touching him unless absolutely necessary. He supposed she was another survivor with her own scars, leftover from battling the First Order. With a sigh he hoped she might come around, he was beginning to like her spunky attitude. Focusing back on the quiet campsite he scanned the area once again, pleased that everyone rested fairly easily. Finn laid head to foot with Jannah, who both snored softly while Chewie relaxed back against a tree, his bowcaster close by. Ben's hand went to his side where the deadly weapon had struck, nearly killing him, and wondered if he would ever be able to repair and bridge the rifts that he'd ripped between himself and all the people around him. Resting his elbows on his knees, he hung his head. He would rest for a moment before going back to keeping watch.

* * *

The sun woke Ben and he groaned inwardly at having fallen asleep. Several cracks along his neck and spine made him wince as he lifted his head and looked around. Finn was rubbing the sleep from his eyes and Rey stuffing her small travel blanket into her bag.

"Where's Chewie?" He asked, searching for the Wookie.

"He said he was going to see if he could find us something for breakfast. He took Jannah with him, don't worry." Rey told him and straightened. "Why don't we do some sparring to work out those kinks in your neck?" The cheeky grin she gave him was met with a slight scowl but he rose anyway and brushed his pants off.

"You're as much of a pain as Luke used to be." Rey scoffed.

"Oh really? You're only saying that because I continually kick your ass." Ben blinked and pulled his lightsaber from his belt.

"I always let you win." Ben told her quietly, giving her a smug half smile when she stared at him incredulously. Finn watched as the two Jedi stepped away from the main camp, lightsabers igniting with a flourish. He tried hard to focus on their actions and if he could sense how the Force moved around them…

There!

It was a split second before Rey let out a battle cry and rushed Ben, just a slight ripple in the Force. He deflected her easily, spinning to catch her second attack and sweeping her lightsaber away. The small woman reversed the sweep and clashed with his blade once again. The Ex-Trooper always marveled at these battles, remembering when Rey had dueled Kylo Ren on the remains of the Death Star. The speed and quick thinking during that fight was impressive, but this small sparring match seemed even more precise. The initial heat of Ben's taunt had evaporated from Rey and she now struck and blocked with the elegance of a dancer. The blades skipped and flashed through the air before halting against one another.

"Wow, they're really getting into it aren't they?" Finn snapped his eyes up to Jannah and Chewie. Several small birds hung from Chewie's fists and he held them up with pride before setting to cleaning them. Looking back to the dueling pair, he witnessed Ben pulling off a fantastic duck under Rey's attack and stepping through. Quickly articulating his blade, he flipped to a backhand grip and held Rey at its point. He hadn't even looked behind him to see where she would be. The only motion he made now was a small sideways glance, his eyes settling on the glowing yellow weapon poised beside his face. Ben sheathed his lightsaber. Rey followed suit and watched as the tall man turned to touch her arm, a silent exchange passing between them that made them both smile gently. Then the tension broke and Rey moved to sit and wipe the sweat from her face, eagerly awaiting breakfast. Finn knew he had a lot of work to do if he ever hoped to be close to their level, but feeling completely determined to put that work in.

* * *

The humidity of the jungle was taking its toll, forcing Rey to once again wipe away the sweat that rolled down her neck. She especially felt bad for Chewie who trekked on without a single complaint, yet it was easy to tell the Wookie was irritable and more short tempered than usual. Jogging to catch up, Rey held out her canteen.

"You ran out a little while ago, didn't you?" She offered a sympathetic smile. He thanked her happily, but instead of taking her water he just roughed up her hair affectionately and continued on. She laughed and nodded, but made a mental note to fill one of the spare canteens for him as an extra. Then a niggling interference brushed against her mind. With a frown, she paused and looked south into the trees. That same energy had presented itself to her before, on Ahch-To. The same energy that had made Luke fear what she was.

"I feel it to." Ben spoke softly, not wanting to alarm the others. "The Dark." The swirl of emotion rolled off Rey, her curiosity entangling with fear. His brows rose when she took a step backwards and pressed her back against his front. Courage was not a quality she lacked, so why would she retreat?

"I don't want to face this alone. Not again."

"You were never alone." Finn had turned to see why they had stopped, witnessing Ben touch Rey's shoulder as she reached back to touch his leg. Why was it he always thought of circles when he watched them? Shaking the thought from his mind he called out to see if everything was okay. Rey smiled widely at him and hurried to catch up. Dark eyes scanned the trees a moment or two longer, then Ben continued as well. He was beginning to get used to the dynamic Finn and Rey had, his initial hatred of the man long faded. Jealousy had triggered his rage back on Starkiller Base and fueled it for a long time afterwards. His eyes pinned onto Finn's back, recalling the savage, rage-filled strike he'd dealt, hoping that he would suffer a painful death for getting in his way.

He took a breath and exhaled the ghost of his dark emotions. It would be a lie to say he didn't still feel a tiny amount of animosity, but he was beginning to let it go. Finn would have enough troubles to deal with once he was forced to confront his conflicted feelings over Jannah and Rose anyway.

* * *

The ground squad had found their next campsite, the day remaining mercifully uneventful. Finn worked to take in some of the teachings Rey offered, practicing a meditation exercise. The petite woman coached him gently, praising him and correcting him carefully. It was clear to Ben however that her mind remained on what they had sensed earlier but for now he had his own duties to attend to. He collected the empty canteens from around the camp and handed out packets of rations. Rey said she had eaten them on Jakku, mixed with a bit of water to create a type of bread out of powder. He still found their flavor to be very unusual, though not entirely unpleasant. They did their job to supplement whatever they could hunt for their meals and remained convenient to carry. Ben glanced up from his examination of the food item when someone stepped to block his path. Chewie stood before him, making him unsure if the Wookie would just walk away or proceed to tear his arms off.

The Wookie had watched him grow, looking after him whenever he was back from his trips with Han. Those times had always been short, but Ben had good memories of them. Now his fondness for Ben was riddled with sorrow and he moaned woefully.

"He never blamed me. Even Mom never hated me after what I did." Chewie listened silently. Han had been murdered and Chewie, overcome with grief, had attacked Ben but he still hadn't been able to bring himself to deliver a truly lethal blow. His best friends had given their lives to bring him back to the Light. With a shake of his head and a soft roar, he shoved his empty canteen at Ben's chest and walked away. The meaning was loud and clear to Ben. His father's friend would forgive him, but he would never forget. The damage his friendship with Chewie had suffered struck him hard, causing him to blink back sudden tears. Across the camp, Rey's focus switched as Ben's energy rolled like an impending storm.

"_Ben?_"

"_It's nothing. I'm going to scout for a water source._" She stood, brushing herself off and watching the tall man stride off into the trees. Rey ensured Finn was alright without assistance for a short while, then hurried after her other half.

* * *

Ben eventually found a small pond and knelt to examine the quality of the water. Something about it seemed strange, though it looked safe enough.

"You aren't helping Finn?" He asked as Rey approached. The words were a simple question, but still the tone of his voice gave her pause.

"I wanted to make sure you were okay." She told him quietly.

"This place feels odd."

"You're changing the subject."

"Do you sense anything strange here?"

"Ben!" He finally turned to look at her, mild surprise coloring his features. "What happened with Chewie?" Brown eyes locked with Hazel for the briefest moment before Ben let the canteens slip from his shoulder and onto the ground.

"There are a lot of painful memories for people here, especially ones associated with me. It'll take time for everyone's wounds to heal. It won't be without pain." Rey glanced to the side, her face expressionless. He was right. No matter how badly she wanted to comfort him, this was something that even their Dyad couldn't fix. It wasn't as if she could shove their connection into her friends' faces and simply expect them to immediately forgive him and forget all that had happened. Still, the knowledge that he continued to suffer after everything that had happened made her vision blur with tears. Sensing his scrutinizing gaze, she shook them away as quickly as they had arrived and steeled herself before turning to head back to camp. "_Rey. Something is out here. Be careful heading back." _

"_I will._" The tall man watched her walk away. She was frustrated and upset, feeling powerless to help him. He could understand, but her brooding distracted her senses.

"You will not." He mumbled shaking his head as he returned to his chore. He made sure to monitor her energy for any sudden changes and swept with vigilant eyes over the small clearing. He would miss nothing as he filled the canteens from the pooled water in the oversized footprint.

* * *

When Ben finally returned to camp, the sun had set and the Jungle had quieted down. He scanned the now sleeping members of their crew as he set down his haul of water and sighed before trudging up the short path to where he and Rey had set up. He was right back to where he was the previous night, bone tired but wide awake. The difference tonight was Rey's fitful tossing. Sleep continued to elude her and finally she sat up, balling her blanket up and tossing it aside. Ben watched her quietly as she glared into the night, his brows drawing. Rey felt his compassion roll through the Force, almost as if he was brushing her shoulder gently with his fingers.

"I'm fine." She told him as she turned away and curled up on her side, making Ben narrow his eyes. With a brief thought, he untied the grey vest that covered his black shirt and ended up laying both on the Jungle floor. The night was warm and humid, there would be no reason for him to sleep in either garment. Rey heard his boots, crunching softly over the ground as he retrieved her blanket. Then he plunked down beside her, tossing the blanket over them both before he shimmied up close to her back, his arm draping over her waist and his body curling around hers.

"Don't. I don't need to be coddled like a child." She mumbled grumpily.

"Quit being so stubborn." He tried to cuddle more tightly when she shoved his hand away and rolled to her back, propping up on her elbows to glare at him.

"I'm fine on my own." She snarled. He leaned up to scrutinize her face, their noses almost touching.

"You are, but you hate it. Tell me I'm wrong." With a huff, she rolled over again. He said nothing, but after a moment she felt his fingertips brush the hair from her face.

"You aren't powerless here, despite what you might think. I still need you with me." His deep voice whispered against her ear, making her shiver. Remembering his pain made her clench her fists.

"You said yourself it would have to take time. I can't alter time." His lips pressed lightly against her neck, drawing a quiet sigh from her.

"It's true. But you always made my pain feel more bearable." Her heart raced instantly, and she wondered if he could feel it as he once again slipped his hand over her ribs and drew her close against his chest. He continued placing soft, lazy kisses over her skin, his breath tickling her ear and creating a tight sensation low in her belly. Her hand lay over his, threading their fingers and earning a deep sigh of contentment from the man behind her. The warmth of his skin diffused through her clothes, teasing her like a heady drug and she couldn't help but press her hips backwards. Ben's drowsy kisses paused, his mind fully awake once again.

"Rey?" He whispered, his arm tightening around her. She was quiet for several heartbeats and he raised his head once again to see her face. Then she looked over her shoulder at him.

"I need you, Ben Solo." He blinked, his eyes flicking from her eyes to her lips and back.

"Gods, I need you too." He confessed huskily. Rolling to her back, she caught his lips and kissed him hard. His tongue swept her lips, demanding entry but she smiled against his mouth, refusing. He paused briefly with some indignance, finding her mischief filled eyes. Alright, he would play her little game then. Ben kissed her again, slowly, caressing her face, neck and shoulders. A soft hum rose in her throat as she tangled her fingers in his hair, slightly damp from the humid air. His hand came to lay gently over her hip before slipping beneath her shirt, gliding over her skin and cupping her breast.

A gasp escaped her as his thumb flicked over her nipple, allowing him to claim her mouth. She pushed him over, straddling him and rolling her hips against him. Reciprocating, he slowly ground himself against her, eliciting a quiet moan. His fingers continued to tease the sensitive pink buds of her breasts until she began kissing her way down his chest and abs. His scent washed over her, an intoxicating blend of campfire smoke, sweat, and the deep, rich scent that lingered after the rain fell. Her fingers raked lightly down his ribs and caught in his waistband.

"I want to kiss you everywhere." She whispered. He leaned up on his elbows, watching her intently as her fingers deftly opened the fastenings of his pants. She looked at him with those fiery hazel eyes before kissing her way down. He pressed his lips together as his head tipped back, trying to muffle the deep groan she drew from him. His hands clenched as he thrust against her, feeling as if his body acted of its own accord. He had no idea how long she continued, only that it was driving him crazy with need. Sweat beaded on his brow with the effort to maintain the bit of control he had.

"Rey." He ground out and looked at her once again. She kissed her way slowly back up his body, leaving him panting before lying beside him. A sassy smile appeared on her face as she draped herself over his chest, then his eyes snapped to hers and scorched her with their intensity. "You haven't won yet." He said and rolled to his hands and knees, effectively trapping her beneath him.

"I don't know what you're talking about." She replied smugly.

"No?" He leaned down, talking low into her ear. "I think you do." She shuddered, then exhaled a breath of disbelief when he quickly slipped her pants from her hips. He was far too good at distracting her, but she loved it. Especially when his hand traveled up her bare leg.

"Ben please." She whined softly, tension coiling in her body with each touch. He tortured her slowly, kissing her deeply to muffle the small whines of pleasure escaping her throat. Just as she thought she couldn't take anymore, he slid his hands around her, supporting her gently.

"Say it." He demanded gently, gaze locking with hers. She looked into his dark, soft brown eyes. They were the one thing that had betrayed him as Kylo Ren. Even in his darkest moments when she didn't want to see it, she had seen Ben looking back at her.

"I love you Ben." Rey moaned softly, hugging him tightly and reveling in the feeling of his body melding with hers.

"I love you too." He whispered. The Force wrapped around them, shielding the pair from the world and the presence that lurked on the edges of the forest.

* * *

Ben had woken up some time ago, watching the early morning light slowly move through the trees. The others had begun to stir and rise as well, groggily but efficiently getting ready for another day of hiking. Rey remained passed out, her head resting on his chest and an arm thrown over him. Realizing she was drooling on him slightly, he frowned, then rolled his eyes. _You're lucky I love you._

"Wow, sleeping beauty." Finn said as he approached, carrying the morning rations and distributing the canteens Ben had filled the night before. "I hate to interrupt, but we gotta get a move on. Something definitely approached the camp last night." Ben's brows drew in confusion. Maybe he'd just noticed him and Rey's activities again… But he was certain they'd done a better job of keeping things quiet.

"Are you sure?" Finn nodded.

"Definitely. Tracks are big, too." By this point Rey began to wake up. Sitting up carefully she wiped the corner of her lips, looking at her hand with brief disgust before turning her attention to Finn.

"Something in camp?" Finn nodded again, raising a brow as Ben pushed himself upright, leaning casually back on his hands. Was his shirt on backwards?

"You guys better come take a look." He said, putting the question from his mind and walking away. Rey felt a blush rise in her cheeks, thanking whatever powers that be that she and Ben had thought to put their clothes back on last night. Perhaps they should be a bit more careful…

A sound caught her attention and she frowned back at Ben, who was grinning wickedly and laughing at her thoughts.

"Oh, shut up." She smacked his shoulder, making him laugh harder as he stood up and peeled his shirt off.

"Sorry sweetheart, you're just going to have to learn not to be bothered by it." He smirked down at her before righting his shirt and pulling it back on. He retied his vest into place and noticed her sitting and staring. "Are you coming?" She nodded, slinging her bag over her shoulders before jumping to her feet.

* * *

Ben examined the footprints. They were identical to the one he found yesterday, with three clawed toes and easily fifteen feet long if he had to guess. This one had not yet had the opportunity to fill in with water, however. Chewie mentioned he hadn't seen it yesterday during his hunt, but how did something so large pass only a few minutes' walk from their campsite and go completely undetected? Ben was beginning to feel that whatever had left these had done so knowing they would be found.

"So, what could they possibly belong to?" Rey wondered out loud. "I bet threepio would have known." They had left the protocol droid back at the village, knowing his poor stiff joints wouldn't make the fast-paced trek.

"Whatever it is, I strongly suspect that it might be what we're looking for." Rey and Ben nodded in agreement. It left too many questions unanswered though. Why would this thing hover around them, but conceal its presence? Why couldn't Rey or Ben sense it? The tall man pressed his lips together, feeling the familiar rise of frustration in his body. All his thoughts were going in circles and he couldn't find any answers. Rey's fingers touched his wrist as she spoke to Finn, a quiet reminder to breathe.

"I think this thing wants us to find it. But I have a bad feeling."

"Like we're being lured into a trap." Finn voiced what Rey was thinking. Their silence stretched out with thought. At first Rey didn't notice it, but with each passing heartbeat of silence there was that familiar draw. It grew slowly, becoming more intense until it seemed as if it might pull her off her feet. She swayed with it and stumbled a step before Ben stretched his arm in front of her chest, steadying her.

"What was that? Are you okay?" Finn placed his hand on her shoulder, but slowly removed it when Ben shot him a withering glare.

"Ben, it's…"

"I know." While he felt the Dark tugging at the edges of his mind, it was striking Rey harder and causing the Dyad to quake as if under immense pressure. "Finn. We need to discuss our next course of action. I think perhaps Rey and I may need to take on a side mission."

"You want to just haul her off into the Jungle? Are you crazy?"

"Do you sense it?" Ben challenged him quietly. Finn glared but shook his head. He was surprised at the sudden gentleness and urgency when Ben said, "You need to trust me." The Ex-Trooper's brows drew together. He hoped Ben knew what the hell he was doing.

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End Chapter 5. I know this one probably felt a bit slow paced. I'll work on Chapter 6 having a bit more action. I'm not a pro by any stretch and just trying to set things up while giving the Fluff lovers some good bits. I finally got my copy of "The Force Awakens" by Alan Dean Foster so I will gain a bit more insight into our lovely characters. Thanks for reading.

Lady Taiyou


	6. Chapter 6

Hey all, welcome to Chapter 6. Just wanted to extend a quick thank you to those who recently followed/favorited the story. It's a very good motivational boost to see people enjoying the story and I hope you continue to do so!

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* * *

Rey's feet ate the ground up, fueled by her anger and disbelief. She wasn't sure where she was going, but at this point she didn't care.

"Why would you do something like that?" She yelled, not even glancing behind her. Ben's long legs easily kept pace with her and he rose his eyebrows in mock surprise.

"Ah, silence for hours and the first thing you choose to do is yell at me? How very Dark side Miss Skywalker." Rey stopped at his words, first in shock then in even more rage as she turned on him, her finger poking hard into his chest.

"Don't you dare accuse me of exhibiting Dark side tendencies! I wasn't the one who threw a damn canteen at Finn's head!" Ben narrowed his eyes and pressed his lips together hard, gently moving Rey's finger before his own finger came up to make his point.

"First of all, it was empty."

"Like that matters!"

"Second of all, that inept bastard thought he could pry into my head." Rey shoved his hand down and glared at him.

"Must be horrible having someone invade your mind." Her voice was scathingly hot, where his went bone chillingly quiet.

"That's not fair." They locked gazes, stuck in a stalemate. Then Rey turned and kept walking, not ready to apologize. And why should she? He was being a total ass! Finn had been easy enough to read after the incident, and all he wanted to see Ben's intentions. It didn't excuse the attempted invasion of privacy, but it wasn't as bad as Ben trying to murder him with a canteen.

"Even if it was empty." She muttered to herself.

"What was that?" Ben stopped, invoking Rey's ire even further.

"I wasn't talking to you." She hissed.

"Not you." He frowned in concentration; argument forgotten for the time being. "Listen." Rey paused and heard nothing. They had to be well out of earshot from the rest of the ground squad now, so it couldn't possibly be them. What she did notice was the Dyad shuddering, only slightly at first but slowly the tremor grew.

"Ben, I don't hear anything." He glanced at her, his brows drawing as a lance of fear went through his chest.

"You can't hear those voices?" The whispers around him seemed to be growing louder as he looked back into the trees. He didn't hear Rey calling to him, his mind focused only on the ghost-like words, spinning and swirling around him and in his head.

"_You cannot leave it behind."_

"…_Part of you..."_

"_You need it… She needs it… You need her… She needs you."_

"_Without Darkness…. THERE CAN BE NO LIGHT!"_

Ben staggered back when the last voice screamed at him in his own voice, or was it someone else's? He didn't know. Shaking his head of the strange fog, he looked around and felt panic set in. Where was Rey? Had she left him behind? Looking around at the forest floor, he realized there were no flattened plants and no sign of the trail they'd blazed. Running a hand through his hair and swearing quietly over and over, he wondered how the hell they had been separated.

* * *

Rey looked around frantically.

"Ben!" She yelled, "Ben answer me!" She plead now and ran back along the trail a short distance, her breath rapid and frantic. She had only glanced away for a moment, he couldn't have gone far! Reaching out to the Dyad, she felt cold dread fill her stomach. That same static that had filled the emptiness left by his death had returned and she couldn't feel him at all. "No… Please no." Rey begged to no one, her voice catching in her throat. She couldn't believe that he would just vanish from right in front of her. He had to be alive! Then she whirled, the Dark pulling at her harder than ever. She wanted to look for Ben, but her body moved of its own volition, compelled towards the terrifying call.

At first she walked, then she began to run. Tears streamed down her cheeks and she grit her teeth, lungs screaming for air. Air seemed to rush past her, deafening her thoughts while her legs burned from exertion. Still she ran harder and harder until she broke through the trees and staggered to a stop, falling to one knee. Gulping in air, her eyes swept the area. A cliff rose up from across the clearing, fronted by a large, perfectly circular pool of water. Several small cave openings spanned the rock, and it felt oddly quiet here.

"Ben?" She called weakly, yet heard her voice echoing back to her.

"He isn't here." Rey stood and turned to face the speaker, eyes widening to see the same hooded visage she had encountered on the Death Star. Her own face stared back at her but with a cruelly canted smile. Leaping back and igniting her saber, Rey growled at her Dark reflection.

"What did you do with him? Tell me where he is!" The image melted away into nothing, leaving Rey more confused than before.

"_If thou cannot embrace it, death is assured."_

_ "The line of light and dark is heavily blurred."_

_ "Two halves, one soul,"_

_ "Light and Dark make it whole."_

_ "On the knife's edge, balance the Force."_

_ "Lest ye perish, and suffer eternal remorse…"_

The voices faded away. Slowly, Rey lowered her saber and flicked the button to sheath it. Whatever that had been, that prophecy, it clearly meant her and Ben's Dyad. But, they already fought as a team, so what more could they possibly do?

"Ben… Where are you?" She wondered out loud, but only heard deafening silence in reply.

* * *

The tall man had walked for hours, the sunset a silent warning for him to make camp. All day he had fought off the voices hounding him while he searched for Rey. The only time he'd stopped was when a cryptic little poem echoed in his mind. It had come from the bond, so it must have been Rey that heard it. But why couldn't he feel her otherwise? With a sigh of relief, he dropped his pack and momentarily enjoyed the cool breeze that sent tiny fingers through his sweat soaked shirt. The tendrils of air on his lower back made him shiver slightly so he set to work getting a fire going. It would be an uncharacteristically cool night. Just his luck, he thought with a scowl.

Setting up his sleeping roll had gone quickly enough once the fire had been lit, and he sat now and picked at his bread ration. His stomach growled, but he couldn't bring himself to eat. Memories started swimming through his mind of his time under Snoke as he stared at the food. How often had he left meals untouched because the furthest thing from his mind was sustenance? Rey had dragged his tortured soul from the depths of the Dark, and then again from that great, strange nothingness he had been trapped in after dying.

"Comfortable?" His eyes snapped up at the mechanical, disembodied voice. The red cracks in his helmet almost seemed to glow under the twilight.

"You aren't real." Ben snapped back at the visage of Kylo Ren.

"Is that so? Perhaps you'd find it interesting to know that I am just as real as the fire burning before you. Yes… There. That defiant narrowing of your eyes… The temper with which you deal with traitors." Ben blinked and took a deep breath, his face setting with determination.

"Even if you are a part of who I was, you won't be a part of who I am now. Rey made sure of that." The Wraith rose and took a few steps away, as if staring at the forest was more interesting than speaking to Ben.

"Careful now. I could simply leave, and you'd never know where you went wrong when your vision of that girl comes true." Ben's attention perked up further. "Listening now?" Kylo turned to face him once again. "Your Dyad is still weak. You only embrace half of what you should, and it will bring you both to your knees. You promised to show the girl the ways of the Force." Ben stood, his hand on his lightsaber.

"I never embraced the idea of being a Sith. I wanted-"

"For it all to die. I remember what I said. That's exactly where your mind needs to be. Stop thinking of the Dark as evil, and you'll find the key to saving Rey." He'd heard enough. Ben yelled, igniting his lightsaber and swinging at the image of his old self. It faded away as if his blade was just a breeze whisking it away.

Several heartbeats passed before Ben realized he was shaking. It had to be a lie. The Dark was only trying to trick him so that he would be trapped once again, the same way it had tricked Darth Vader. Ben Solo would fight with and protect Rey, not Kylo Ren. The lightsaber softly rasped to a close in his hand before he trudged numbly back to his bedroll. No. He would never again embrace the Dark side. With that thought he wrapped his blanket around his shoulders and lay down, slipping almost immediately into a blessedly dreamless sleep.

* * *

The deep, overwhelming feeling of impending doom roused Ben. He looked around and tried to get his bearings. It was still dark, with no sign of dawn on the horizon. Quickly climbing to his feet, he drew his lightsaber to his hand and moved quickly and quietly away from his small campsite and into the thicker brush for cover. His heart hammered in his chest and he focused on keeping his breath even and quiet. A signature in the Force became clear and he nearly rolled his eyes as a stray Jungle Rancor approached, aimlessly searching for its next meal. What a joke, he thought and started to devise a plan to spook it back into the jungle so he could get some rest.

His eyes widened in shock when a huge, clawed hand slammed down on the Rancor as if it were nothing more than a little girl's doll. It screamed in terror and pain, lancing through the Force and making Ben cringe. Then it was lifted into the air, flailing uselessly. Brown eyes followed it up, and up and up until he could just make out what must have been the second monster's head. A sickening crunch ended the Rancor's screeches abruptly and blood poured through the Jungle's canopy. The thing that scared Ben the most now, was that this thing had no Force signature.

It bent lower, inspecting his campsite with disturbing sentience, its soulless eyes searching very carefully. Hunkering lower in his hiding spot, Ben ignored the now headless Rancor wrapped in the creature's hand and tried to think of what he would do if that thing found him. From his cover, he could just make out a few distinctions. Elaborate tusks curling from its lips, dead eyes and jagged teeth. He was no expert, but if he had to make a guess, he thought perhaps a Gorog. It had some similar traits to be sure, but it was just different enough. And far more intelligent.

"I can smell you, filthy human Prince." It rumbled, making him flinch. It had been a long time since anyone had called him by that title. And how did this thing know who or what he was? He stayed hidden and hoped that his scent all over the campsite was enough to throw it off. Even the ancient Sith Lords he'd learned about didn't tangle with Gorogs without great caution. His teeth grit as a furious bellow made the earth quake around him, threatening and hateful. Its fingers clenched, spattering the Rancor's body with a wet squelch, the pieces dropping to the jungle floor. The monster stalked away and allowed one long, thick leg sweep through to completely destroy Ben's campsite. The tall man waited until it felt like an hour had crept by, his body screaming for relief from the cramped position he held. Only then did he slowly move from his cover, contemplating just what the hell he should do now when he felt an all too familiar buzz in the Force.

* * *

Rey had sat awake most of the night, watching the night sky from the top of the little cliff. She would never admit it, but she had grown to hate sleeping without Ben by her side. They were both perfectly capable of taking care of themselves, and she could function just fine on her own. His call of her bluff last night was a good one though. She hated being alone, just as he did. Becoming a tittering fool who agreed with his every thought and action was never going to happen, that was for certain. She was his equal and he was hers. But despite their more than adequate ability to function separately, she still missed him terribly.

The sounds of the Jungle echoed around her, and far, far off in the distance some animal roared, sending shivers down her spine. Her eyes returned to her tiny fire, allowing it to lull her into a calm trance. She had become so engrossed in the flickering dance of the flames that she almost missed the buzz of the Force, but her eyes snapped up. Ben was crouched before her, his face pale in the moonlight and his eyes wide like a cornered animal.

"Ben!" She gasped in relief and reached out for him. The disbelief on his face was quickly followed with relief.

"Rey." The adrenaline that had seized him constricted his throat, and the word came out as a gasp. His hand went to hers… and passed through. She frowned as minor panic took over his thoughts, and she was suddenly flickering before him. How could this be happening? The Dyad shouldn't feel so…

"Weakened." Rey finished his thought. "Where are you?" She added more quickly, rising and stepping closer as if it might somehow allow them to overcome the fading strength of the bond. He shook his head.

"I can only guess. We could be whole star systems apart… Stars…" He frowned and Rey saw him look skyward. "What stars do you see Rey?" Quickly catching his plan, she tried to rattle off as many constellations and planets as she knew, her proximity to them, as well as picking out the two smaller moons of the planet. "That means we're both still on Ajan Kloss." He sighed with relief once again before glancing into the darkness of wherever he was.

"Ben, what happened to you?" His eyes returned to hers, pinning her with intense determination and a ferocity she had only seen in him a handful of times.

"Listen, there's something in the jungle. It's dangerous and it's hunting us. It has no Force signature to speak of, so you'll have to rely on your other senses. Don't try to fight it on your own." She thought about that roar from earlier and heard the deadly serious warning in Ben's voice. It made her shiver once again. "Rey." His voice softened, but the ferocity did not. "Not even the Force can keep me from finding you. I'll be there soon, I swear it." She reached out once again despite herself.

"I know." Her heart cracked when he disappeared from her sight.

* * *

Finn and the others hiked slowly through the heat and humidity, the climate taking its toll after four days of bushwhacking, river crossing, bugs and various other annoyances that left everyone irritable and exhausted. The Ex Trooper once again checked the map Rose had sent with them. Given the distance to their set coordinates and their pace, he suspected they would be slogging for another couple days and sighed. It wasn't fair to ask anyone to move any faster, and he was sure they would lynch him for making such a request at this point.

His thoughts wandered to Rey and hoped she was doing okay. As for _Kylo Ben_, Finn couldn't care less as his fingers touched the nasty little bruise at the edge of his forehead. The man clearly still had a temper.

"Still dealing with a headache?" Jannah asked him with a relaxed yet sympathetic smile. Finn shook his head.

"Just hoping that Rey is alright. The further we go into the jungle, the more I have a bad feeling about this." The woman nodded. Ever since they had found that first footprint, they had continued seeing more and more of them. Worse, they had discovered several dead Rancor all with huge chunks torn away or missing limbs and heads completely. She was beginning to feel that it was not them doing the tracking, but instead being tracked- No… Hunted, themselves.

Finn called for a break and everyone paused with relief in their march, downing water and rummaging in their bags. Jannah sat down on a log beside the man, taking several long pulls from her canteen.

"So, handsome. Is this what you imagined you'd be doing after defeating the First Order?" Finn's brows rose at the bold compliment and he blushed.

"Uh… W-well I. No, not really." He stuttered somewhat. It had become more difficult for him to speak to her outside of a professional manner, their easy bantering becoming strained. She was so calm and cool all the time, laid back in all her dealings, and simply beautiful.

"So what did you imagine you'd be doing?" She smiled warmly, knowing he was squirming and finding him way too cute for it. The question made him blink though.

"To be honest, I'm not really sure what I thought I'd do. The only thing I knew for sure was that I hoped Rey would teach me about the Force." Her brows rose and the playful smile slipped a bit from her face.

"You never thought about where you would end up living? Or if you would like to be with someone?" He shrugged, but his mind did wander back to Rose. Her scrappy spirit and warm demeanor had grown on him so much more since the fall of the First Order. A chuckle escaped him when he thought about her biting Hux. Actually biting him! Jannah was about to ask him what was so funny when several loud growls emerged from the trees. The hair stood up on the back of Finn's neck, the menacing sound harboring a promise of death.

"What filth dares to approach our home?" The low voice behind him demanded. Turning, Finn looked up and his eyes widened. The dead eyed monster leered down at him, mirrored by two more from around the squad. He could feel their sudden terror washing over him in waves, though they didn't move a muscle. Even Chewie's energy was beyond nervous. As discreetly as he could, Finn hit the SOS button, alerting Poe and Rose.

"Your home?" Finn managed to breathe out the words. The creature snarled at him, revealing rows of sharp, deadly teeth.

"Yes, pitiful human. Perhaps you'd like to know what the Adarogh do to intruders like you?" Finn's eyes flicked briefly to several small lizards running over and around the monster. Didn't they know they'd become lunch if they stuck around? Movement behind him drew his attention as one of the other creatures snatched up one of their squad.

"No!" Finn yelled, drawing his blaster and opening fire on the creature's hand. It barely flinched as it tore their man in half, making Finn cringe and spring into action. "RUN!" The Squad fled into the trees, some fortunate enough to evade the grasping claws while others met their death. Finn thought his heart might explode from the adrenaline and pace but he willed his legs to move faster still. Jannah was not far behind and he hoped more of their people were with him than not. The Adarogh were not very quick runners, but their strides were huge, causing the ground to quake which each step. How had such huge monsters moved so quietly among the trees? The sounds of Chewie's Bowcaster, blaster shots, screams and roars filled the air. Glancing up, Finn spotted a fallen tree suspended by vines. Firing wildly, he could only severe a few of them, his aim compromised by his speed. The monsters were gaining on them, more dying screams filling his ears. Panic, fury and blind instinct drove him to raise his hand with a yell, grasping the log as best he could with the Force and willing it to fly backwards. The toss was weak, but it slowed their pursuers slightly as they either swerved around it or paused to avoid being struck in the face with it.

* * *

Poe and Rose barreled along over the trees in the Falcon. A four day trek on foot was nothing with the ship's speed and soon Rose pointed through the window.

"Look there!" Poe's sharp eyes caught sight of the monsters rearing up out of the trees.

"That's where the tracker is pointing, too! How are we gonna get em' out of there?" Narrowing her eyes, Rose made her way out of the cockpit, heading for the guns. As soon as she was seated in the lower gunner's seat she pulled her headset on and waited until she heard Poe's headset crackle to life in her ears.

"Get me into position and I'll get them!" Poe swung the Falcon around, skimming above the trees

"Get ready!" Grip tightening, Rose watched the targeting computer carefully with sweat beading on her forehead, praying she wouldn't catch any of her friends in the high-powered blasts. As soon as she had a lock-on, she grit her teeth and fired. The Adarogh recoiled in the blast and collapsed into the trees, earning a whoop from the spunky girl.

* * *

Finn finally slowed and turned to see what was happening as the Falcon screamed overhead, drawing the Adarogh's attention. The ship wheeled and flew back around, prompting Finn to start running once again. The order didn't need to be issued twice as the squad hurried to follow him.

"There!" He panted out and pointed, "A stream! Should be big enough for Poe to lower the ramp!" Poe was two steps ahead of him after the Falcon's guns slammed into the Adarogh group and quickly hovered as close as he could to the break in the trees. Glancing back, Finn slowed and stopped. Horror rose in his chest as the monsters uncurled from the Jungle floor, only minimally injured. He saw now that they had some sort of armor in place upon their backs, almost like a tiny deflector shield. "What..?" He breathed. What were these things? He didn't linger to contemplate it and dashed the rest of the distance to the ship. Three deafening bellows spurred him along and just as Poe raised the ship, he leapt for the edge of the ramp. Rose could just see the creatures through her sights and stared in shock as they shook off the blasts and once again thundered towards her friends.

"No you DON'T!" She screamed and lit up the area in front of them, forcing them to once again halt their advance. The ship lurched then, lifting away from the trees. Finn swung precariously, nearly losing his grip before Jannah reached down and grabbed his wrists, pulling him to safety before the Falcon spun and shot off, leaving the Adarogh behind.

* * *

The birds were quiet today, leaving Ben uneasy as he traveled along. Most of his equipment had been destroyed by that thing, but at least he had his lightsaber, a blanket and some provisions. The air hung thicker than usual today and even though the insects bit at his skin, he stopped to stuff his vest and shirt into his pack. Looking up through the trees, he frowned at the dark clouds slowly rolling in. No wonder the air was so sticky, he thought with some annoyance and took a deep breath before carrying on. Rey's Force signature had become present again, but it flickered as their connection had, making him concentrate hard to follow it without veering off the trail. Within the hour, rain had begun to fall and soaked him to the bone. At least the rain was somewhat warm on this planet, but even that was little comfort as his boots became waterlogged.

He couldn't hear much, but he did begin to notice tremors through the ground. Looking over his shoulder, he saw birds flying out of the trees as something large crashed through them. Had that behemoth from last night tracked him?! He looked around quickly, the crude path fell away down a slope to his right and climbed sharply on his left. He would have to take his chances with the slope or run. Using the Force to balance his steps and give him some extra distance, he ran down the slope, sliding in the muddy patches and eventually surfed his way down the now completely muddy banks.

"Jedi!" He heard the thing bellow after him and narrowed his eyes.

"You won't catch me today, laserbrain." He snarled defiantly. The slope ended in a waterfall pool, the water rushing up like a punch to the face. Ben's outstretched hands hit the bottom almost immediately, eliciting a grunt as a sharp pain lanced through his hand and jarred his bones. Recovering his feet, he slogged to the water's edge as quickly as he could and slipped behind the cascade. Gulping in air, Ben could just make out the frustrated roars when that thing realized it had lost his trail.

An uncharacteristic darkness behind the falls drew his attention now and with one last, smug backwards glance he sidled into the mouth of a cave. How deep did the cave extended, he wondered and carefully followed the rocky wall further inside. Pressing out with his senses, he was pleasantly surprised to find it was a tunnel. Perhaps it was from a time when the water flowed differently on the planet, or something long since gone had created it but it was the first lucky break he'd had all day. Digging out his lightsaber and igniting it, he took a quick look around before examining the nagging pain in his left palm. The gash was bleeding, but a quick flex of his fingers revealed no deeper damage so he picked up Rey's energy and once again moved forward.

* * *

This had to be the way out! Rey sprinted through the wet foliage, ignoring the slap of leaves and vines against her face and arms. She sprinted and made a leap over a huge fallen tree, bursting through the treeline and stumbling to a halt. Looking around, frustration finally boiled over and Rey yelled at the sky while the rain poured down on her. This was her eighth attempt to leave this place and still she always broke through the trees back into the clearing.

"Why won't you let me leave?!" She screamed at nobody then remembered Ben's warning and immediately quieted, though her anger still seethed hotly. The Dark side pulls had been coming and going all day, and she kept catching glimpses of Dark Rey before she would turn and shake the image from her head. They were becoming more insistent and she was growing tired of pushing them away, drenched and tired as she was. She closed her eyes, suddenly longed for the warm sands of Jakku, caressing her skin and cushioning her aching body after a long day of hard work. Or better yet, for Ben's arms encircling her and pressing her close against him. She blinked her eyes open and started at the sight in front of her.

Dark Rey stood beside Kylo Ren, his haughty arrogance marring what should have been Ben's face… But there was no trace of Ben. This man's eyes were icy, lacking any softness until they turned to her darker visage.

"Ben Solo isn't here." He said coolly, a twisted smile appearing on his face. Dark Rey laughed quietly, her face more like a serpent than a human. Then she turned her face up to Kylo's and he kissed her roughly, his hands gripping her hair and yanking her head back as she dragged her nails down his neck, leaving red welts. Then their lips slowed against one another, still fierce but somehow tender. Breaking apart they looked at each other with adoration before turning to stare at her once again. The roughness of that kiss had been off putting, but so had that sudden small bloom of genuine affection and love.

"You're afraid of the Dark," She said, "But you have been shown only one pathway within it. We are not who you believe."

"We aren't Sith. We are just users of one aspect of the Force. As you are." Finished Kylo. Then they were gone.

Rey felt dizzy, and slowly began to half stumble her way into one of the caves dotting the cliffside. Once inside she silently pulled her wet clothes off. Her skin stung slightly where the foliage had continually hit her as she ran, but there was nothing she could do about it now. She was so unsure of what to make of that little scene. How could they not be Sith? Kylo Ren had done terrible things… But then, no. Because Ben had been Kylo Ren, but it didn't make him terrible and…

Her head pounded as she tried to sort out what exactly this meant for Ben or for her. She had never sought to use Dark side abilities, though she had accidentally used lightning. But did it count? She just didn't know and with a sigh, she pulled her half soggy blanket out of her pack. It would be better than nothing, so she threw it around her shoulders and settled with her back against the wall.

* * *

More voices echoed through the tunnel, difficult to ignore but possible if Ben simply focused on other things like the pain in his palm, Rey's energy and anything else that would keep him grounded and not yank him away into another vision. He came to yet another fork and swore softly, trying to feel which way was the correct one.

"What if they're both correct?" Ben's eyes locked with Rey's, except this person wasn't Rey. She stood in the opening of one passage, watching him from beneath dark lashes, her eyes traveling slowly over his body before a serpent's smile appeared on her face and she looked sidelong to the other passage. The scarred face of Kylo Ren smirked over at her and then flicked his eyes to Ben.

"I told you didn't I? That you needed to change how you think." Kylo walked around behind Ben, sizing him up carefully before he approached Dark Rey. Now she looked like his Rey, her clothes and her almost innocent expression looking up at him, but her eyes went to Kylo who stroked her cheek with a gloved hand. Ben growled.

"Rey never wanted Kylo Ren." He snapped, fists clenching tightly. At least he thought they did, but they had gone numb from the chilled air in the tunnels ages ago.

"Didn't she? How can that be when you and I are the same person?" Kylo questioned him with an arrogant smile. It made Ben shudder to realize exactly how easy he had been to hate.

"Ben…" Rey's soft voice drew his attention back to her. "If there was something Dark in me… Would you hate me?" She asked innocently, hesitantly. His brows drew imperceptibly.

"I could never hate you." He replied before he'd had a chance to think, and then Rey smirked at him as her image shifted back into Dark Rey.

"Just as I could never hate you." She told him with a wink, and then she and Kylo turned and vanished into the left tunnel.

Those last words left him in even deeper confusion. Rey had rejected the whole idea of Kylo Ren, made clear when she said she had wanted to take Ben's hand… He was exhausted, couldn't think, and everything inside him screamed to go right. Not to follow Darkness embodied. Except for the small bit of instinct in his gut that urged him to follow the left path. He growled at the walls of the tunnel and went left.

"This does not mean I embrace the dark side." He muttered and walked. He followed the path and began to wonder if this had been a mistake after all, feeling as if he would be trapped wandering the dark, winding underground until he finally died. Then his heart lifted, there was a light up ahead! Finally sheathing his lightsaber, he found he could easily follow the glow ahead of him.

* * *

Shivering violently, Rey did her best to try to light the damp tinder and wood she'd gathered. Night had fallen and taken all traces of heat with it but left the rain. It hadn't taken long for a deep chill to settle into her bones and she began to see why people cursed the wet, miserable conditions. Finally, a weak spark sputtered into a pitiful flame.

"Yes!" It was better than nothing and her spirits cheered slightly. "Now, if you just… stay…" She begged the little flame and stuck her tongue out, carefully adding more tinder and wood. Very slowly, her fire took off and she quickly arranged her wet clothes around it, hoping they would dry out at least a little. She also took some comfort in the hazy energy of Ben, it seemed much nearer than it had the night before but this place seemed to throw everything off. She didn't think he could possibly be that close, but even the glow of their Dyad felt a bit warmer, if still very weak.

A noise at the back of the cave made her freeze momentarily before she grabbed her lightsaber. Rising slowly, she wrapped the blanket around herself and did her best to tie it in place before creeping towards the sound. It was a strange shuffling, or was it a stagger? A shape emerged before her and without a thought, she yelled, swinging and igniting her lightsaber all at once. A blue glow parried her strike and then Ben's voice.

"Rey!" His yell was half indignant and half disbelief and the girl before him blinked several times, as if she too couldn't believe it. The lightsaber slipped from her hand, arms flinging around his body and crushing him in an embrace.

"Ben!" Happy tears slipped down her cheeks as he pulled her tight and they both sank to the floor in relief. "When you disappeared, I couldn't sense you and I thought…" He stroked her hair, whispering gently.

"I know." They had only been apart for two days, but it had felt like an eternity, and Ben was sure Rey would agree with his sentiment. Despite the ache in his body, he gathered her up, lightsaber and all and carried her back to the inviting little fire.

* * *

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Chapter 6 complete! I hope everyone enjoyed. Thank you for your continued reading and I'm hoping to have chapter 7 up soon!

Lady Taiyou


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